Impact : guidelines for North Carolina media and technology programs

IMPACT:
Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF NORTH CAROLINA
State Board of Education | Department of Public Instruction
Instructional Technology Division AUGUST 2005
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
In compliance with federal law, NC Public Schools administers all state-operated educational programs,
employment activities and admissions without discrimination because of race, religion, national or ethnic origin,
color, age, military service, disability, or gender, except where exemption is appropriate and allowed by law.
Inquiries or complaints should be directed to:
Dr. Elsie C. Leak, Associate Superintendent : : Office of Curriculum and School Reform Services
6307 Mail Service Center :: Raleigh, NC 27699-6307 :: Telephone 919-807-3761 :: Fax 919-807-3767
Visit us on the Web:: www.ncpublicschools.org
HOWARD N. LEE
Chairman : : Raleigh
JANE P. NORWOOD
Vice Chair : : Charlotte
KATHY A. TAFT
Greenville
MICHELLE HOWARD-VITAL
Wilmington
EDGAR D. MURPHY
Durham
SHIRLEY E. HARRIS *
Troy
MELISSA E. BARTLETT *
Mooresville
ROBERT “TOM” SPEED
Boone
WAYNE MCDEVITT
Asheville
JOHN TATE III
Charlotte
BEVERLY PERDUE
Lieutenant Governor :: New Bern
RICHARD MOORE
State Treasurer : : Kittrell
* not yet confirmed
May 25, 2005
NORTH CAROLINA MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY PROFESSIONALS:
It is with great pleasure that I commend to you the revised IMPACT: Guidelines
for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs. The acknowledgement of the
equal importance of both the school library media and the instructional technology
programs in teaching and learning is the premise of these guidelines.
We know that school library media and instructional technology programs are the
foundation of a 21st Century education. The access to information that these programs
afford makes the difference between the textbook-bound classroom of the past and
the far-reaching, resource-based curriculum of today and tomorrow. Research tells
us that instructional technology, used appropriately, results in higher test scores.
It is remarkably effective in sparking student interest, increasing motivation, and
raising self-esteem, thus positively impacting student achievement. Research also
tells us that a school library media center that provides up-to-date, accurate, and
attractive resources managed by a professional school library media coordinator who
collaborates with teachers to augment and enhance classroom instruction also results
in increased test scores, especially in reading. IMPACT reflects both the reality of
this research and the commitment to assuring that every teacher and student has
the academic and personal advantage of access to these high quality programs.
No North Carolina citizen can be left behind! Implementing the IMPACT Guidelines
in your school assures that our youngest citizens, their parents, and their teachers will
have the skills necessary to enter the 21st Century world of work and civic responsibility.
The school library media and instructional technology program and the resources it
promotes are central to the success of North Carolina’s ABCs of Public Education and
to Governor Easley’s 21st Century Learning Skills priority--in fact, to all school reform
initiatives throughout the state. IMPACT and the excellence it fosters are a part of
the vision and accountability necessary to produce schools that are First in America.
Howard N. Lee,
Chairman, Start Board of Education
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We welcome the opportunity to express appreciation to the following workgroup
participants who contributed their time, enthusiasm, and expertise in the development
of this document.
LOCAL EDUCATION AGENCIES
Beaufort County Patricia Morris
Carteret County Janet McLendon
Catawba County Judith Ray
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Hennie Driggers
Chapel Hill-Carrboro Mary Gray Leonard
Chatham County Kimberly M. Johnson
Davidson County Karen Perry
Gaston County Vivien R. Timmons
Granville County Dasie Roberts
Harnett County Tammy Genthe
Haywood County L. Kinney
Iredell-Statesville Barb Thorson
Lenoir County Julie Lee
Orange County Sonya Terry
NW RESA Karen Lowe
Perquimans County Victor Eure
Perquimans County Melissa Fields
Perquimans County Cynthia Stallings
Pitt County Kerry Mebane
Rockingham County Martha Carroll
Rockingham County Donna Edrington
Transylvania County Carrie H. Kirby
Wake County Rusty Taylor
Watauga County Shannon Carrol
Wilkes County Jaye Ellen Parks
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Jackie Pierson
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Jo Sapp
INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION
Appalachian State University Robert Sanders, PhD
East Carolina University Diane D. Kester, PhD
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Evelyn Daniel, PhD
University of North Carolina at Greensboro Nona Pryor
NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
Frances Bryant Bradburn
John Brim
Glen Buck
Karen Creech
Mary Lou Daily
Acacia Dixon
Janice Dunning
Zena Harvley-Felder
Benny Hendrix
Melanie Honeycutt
Ouida Myers
Campbell Price
Donna Sawyer
Gerry Solomon
Dan Sparlin
Wynn Smith
Annemarie Timmerman
FOREWORD
Welcome to the revised edition of IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and
Technology Programs!
IMPACT continues to be a part of the overall vision of the North Carolina Department
of Public Instruction. It recognizes that an effective school library media and technology
program is the infrastructure that supports both teaching and learning. This program
is the key to making education relevant to a knowledge-based society and its economy.
IMPACT is aligned to Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning, the national
standards for media and technology programs, the ISTE National Educational Technology
Standards, and a growing body of school library media and instructional technology
research. Also reflecting the recommendations of the 2005-2009 North Carolina
Educational Technology Plan, IMPACT acknowledges the importance of staffing each
school in North Carolina with both a school library media coordinator and a technology
facilitator. It also reflects a commitment to provide a roadmap for an integrated
media and technology program once these positions are in place. It offers assessment
instruments to assist in the evaluation of the media and technology program designed
to move us toward the State Board of Education goals of rigor, relevance, and
relationships, the foundation of a 21st Century educational and economic environment.
The revision of IMPACT reflects the reality that the media and technology program and
its resources are not static. In fact, they are constantly evolving, mandating on-going
update and revision. Thus, while there is a one-time print edition of this document, it
is also a Web-based publication <www.ncwiseowl.org/impact.htm>. The online version
of IMPACT will be updated regularly, new resources created, further links added.
It will always be a work in progress.
IMPACT is also a publication for many audiences. Media and technology personnel
can no longer publish a document simply for themselves. IMPACT for Administrators
and <http://www.ncwiseowl.org/Impact/Admin/AdminImpact.htm> IMPACT for
Classroom Teachers <http://www.ncwiseowl.org/kscope/impact/> are targeted at those
whom our program directly affects: students, teachers, administrators, parents, and
the community. Also available are videos that allow everyone to see and expand their
understanding of how an IMPACT Model School functions on a day-to-day basis.
<http://video.dpi.state.nc.us/eforums/impact_videos/> Only when everyone concerned
with the education of our children understands the integral part that the media and
technology program plays in high student achievement will the commitment to fund
these resources be made. Thus, it is imperative that we use IMPACT to inform all
citizens in North Carolina of the importance of our role in education.
Media and technology professionals live in exciting times. The public is beginning to
understand the link between our programs and services and a high quality education.
We dare not squander this opportunity. IMPACT is a tool that will help media and
technology personnel at both the state and local levels work together to plan and
build effective, comprehensive teaching and learning environments for the 21st
Century. We look forward to the challenge!
Frances Bryant Bradburn, Director
Division of Instructional Technology
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................................1
IMPLEMENTING THE IMPACT MODEL
IMPLEMENTING THE IMPACT MODEL: A HOW-TO GUIDE ..................................................5
PHASE 1: Building Support ....................................................................................5
PHASE 2: Readiness Assessment ............................................................................6
PHASE 3: Setting the Stage for Successful Collaboration ..........................................6
PHASE 4: Formal Collaboration ...............................................................................7
PHASE 5: Beyond the Classroom .............................................................................7
On-going: Evaluation ...............................................................................................8
DEALING WITH THE CHANGE THAT THE IMPACT MODEL WILL BRING ...............................9
Using the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM) to Move Teachers
Forward in the IMPACT Model .................................................................................9
What Teachers Must Be Willing to Do .....................................................................11
THE TECHNOLOGY FACILITATOR SCENARIO ....................................................................13
SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA COORDINATOR SCENARIO .......................................................15
WORKS CITED ...............................................................................................................17
TABLE OF CONTENTS i
TEACHING AND LEARNING
VISION ..........................................................................................................................19
COLLABORATION ...........................................................................................................19
INTEGRATION OF INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY SKILLS ............................................20
ACCESS TO INFORMATION RESOURCES AND SERVICES IN THE TEACHING/
LEARNING PROCESS .....................................................................................................22
COLLABORATION FOR ASSESSMENT, RESEARCH, AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT ..............23
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT .....................................................................................24
Professional Development for Media and Technology Professionals ............................25
Assessing Professional Development .......................................................................25
Planning High Quality Professional Development .....................................................25
Ensuring High Quality Professional Development .....................................................26
The National Staff Development Council Standards .................................................27
North Carolina Professional Development Standards ................................................27
COLLABORATION THROUGH FLEXIBLE ACCESS ..............................................................31
FLEXIBLE ACCESS LOOKS LIKE THIS ..............................................................................33
COLLABORATING TO ACHIEVE INSTRUCTIONAL GOALS ...................................................33
LEADERSHIP AND THE CHANGE PROCESS .....................................................................34
MAKING FLEXIBLE ACCESS AND COLLABORATION WORK ...............................................34
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF COLLABORATIVE PARTNERS .....................................36
IMPLEMENTING EFFECTIVE COLLABORATIVE PLANNING SESSIONS ................................38
ADVOCACY: COMMUNICATING FLEXIBLE ACCESS AND COLLABORATION .........................40
READING AND LITERACY ...............................................................................................41
COLLABORATION: MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY, READING, AND LITERACY ..........................42
READING PROGRAMS OR READING? ..............................................................................45
WORKS CITED ...............................................................................................................47
ii IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
INFORMATION ACCESS AND DELIVERY
INFORMATION ACCESS AND DELIVERY: THE HEART OF EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS ..............53
RESOURCES, NEEDS, AND CHOICES ..............................................................................54
MAKING RESOURCES ACCESSIBLE ................................................................................55
The Role of Media and Technology Professionals .....................................................55
Vital Components for Resource Access and Delivery .................................................55
PLANNING AND DESIGNING FACILITIES FOR LEARNING .................................................58
People and Responsibilities ...................................................................................58
Overall Facility Design: Basic Considerations ...........................................................60
Important Elements of Good Design .......................................................................61
Access .................................................................................................................62
Location ..............................................................................................................62
Exceptional Children Facilities ...............................................................................63
Aesthetics and Atmosphere ...................................................................................64
Ergonomics ..........................................................................................................64
Mechanics and Engineering ...................................................................................65
Safety ..................................................................................................................66
Security ...............................................................................................................66
Design Considerations for Spaces within the Facility ................................................67
Designing for Growth and Development ...................................................................68
Designing for the Infusion of Technology .................................................................68
Designing for Expanded Hours and Use ..................................................................68
Designing for Flexible Use .....................................................................................68
DEVELOPING EDUCATIONAL SPECIFICATIONS ................................................................69
Details Matter ......................................................................................................69
Four Preliminary Steps ..........................................................................................69
Components of Educational Specifications ..............................................................71
EDUCATIONAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR SCHOOL AND MEDIA/TECHNOLOGY SPACES ..........72
Classrooms ...........................................................................................................73
Flexibly Accessed Computer Labs .........................................................................75
Distance Learning via the N.C. Information Highway ...............................................76
Staff Offices ........................................................................................................77
Technology Administration and Planning .................................................................78
Conference Areas .................................................................................................79
Workrooms ..........................................................................................................80
Auditoriums, Cafeterias, and Gymnasiums .............................................................81
TABLE OF CONTENTS iii
EDUCATIONAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA CENTER ..................82
Visualizing Use of Space ......................................................................................82
Some Key Design Questions .................................................................................82
Charts of Recommendations .................................................................................82
Minimum Square Footage .....................................................................................83
Large Group Instruction .......................................................................................85
Reference ...........................................................................................................86
Story Sharing ......................................................................................................87
Independent Work Areas .......................................................................................88
Small Group Activity ............................................................................................88
Informal Reading .................................................................................................89
Production ..........................................................................................................90
Periodical Storage ................................................................................................91
Administration and Planning .................................................................................92
Circulation ..........................................................................................................93
Automated Catalog ..............................................................................................94
Professional Area .................................................................................................95
Parent Resource Area ...........................................................................................96
Workroom ...........................................................................................................97
Display and Exhibit ..............................................................................................98
Secure Equipment Storage, Distribution, and Maintenance .....................................98
EDUCATIONAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR FURNITURE, SHELVING, AND BUILT-INS ................99
General Considerations .........................................................................................99
Guidelines for Shelving .......................................................................................100
Maximum Heights for Different Types of Furniture and Shelving .............................101
More Helpful Tips about Furniture and Shelving ...................................................102
GENERAL TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR INSTRUCTION .....................................104
Network Server, Head-end Area ...........................................................................104
Video Wiring Closet Area ......................................................................................104
WORKS CITED ..............................................................................................................105
iv IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION
PLANNING THE PROGRAM ............................................................................................107
Why Plan? ..........................................................................................................107
Vision: the Key to Success ..................................................................................108
Short-term and Long-term Planning .....................................................................108
BEING THE CHANGE AGENT .........................................................................................109
Advocating for the Program ..................................................................................110
MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP
AND RESPONSIBILITIES ...............................................................................................116
BUDGETING FOR THE PROGRAM ..................................................................................118
Some Facts about Budget and Funding ................................................................118
Developing an Effective Budget ...........................................................................118
Primary Sources of Funding ................................................................................121
Other Sources of Funding ...................................................................................121
Writing Budget Proposals ....................................................................................122
POLICY ........................................................................................................................123
Policy and Procedure Defined ...............................................................................123
Creating Policy and Procedure Manuals .................................................................125
Components of a Policy Document ........................................................................126
Components of a Procedure Document .................................................................127
Policy, Procedures, and Guidelines Implementation Chart .......................................128
COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT ........................................................................................129
Vision .................................................................................................................129
Role of the MTAC in Collection Development .........................................................129
Role of the School Library Media Coordinator ........................................................130
Role of the Technology Facilitator .........................................................................130
Assessing the Collection ......................................................................................131
Assessing the Collection: Methods ........................................................................132
Assessing the Collection: Collection Mapping .........................................................133
Assessing the Collection: Resource Alignment ........................................................135
Assessing the Collection: Systematic Random Sampling .........................................136
Automated Assessments ......................................................................................137
Weeding the Collection ........................................................................................139
Guide to Weeding the Collection ...........................................................................141
Collecting Data ...................................................................................................143
The Non-print Collection ......................................................................................143
Writing a Collection Development Plan ..................................................................147
Developing a Budget ...........................................................................................148
TABLE OF CONTENTS v
Selecting Resources ............................................................................................149
Some Guiding Questions for Selecting Resources ...................................................149
Selecting Equipment, Hardware, and Infrastructure ................................................151
Conducting an Inventory ......................................................................................152
What is inventory? ...............................................................................................152
Why inventory? ....................................................................................................152
Guidelines for Scheduling Inventory ......................................................................152
School Equipment Inventory .................................................................................152
WORKS CITED ..............................................................................................................153
SYSTEM-LEVEL GUIDELINES
SYSTEM-LEVEL LEADERSHIP ........................................................................................157
TEACHING AND LEARNING ...........................................................................................159
Collaborating to Achieve Goals ............................................................................159
Being Involved with the Curriculum .....................................................................159
Providing Professional Development .....................................................................160
Planning, Research, and Development .................................................................160
INFORMATION ACCESS AND DELIVERY .........................................................................161
Establishing Infrastructure and Connectivity .........................................................161
Standardizing Resources and Equipment ..............................................................161
Planning for New and Renovated Facilities ...........................................................162
Ensuring Equity .................................................................................................162
Managing Resources ...........................................................................................162
PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION .......................................................................................163
Strengthening Communication and Public Relations ..............................................163
Establishing Policies and Procedures ...................................................................163
Recruiting, Selecting, and Retaining Personnel .....................................................164
Attending to Budget Basics .................................................................................164
Developing Collections ........................................................................................165
Evaluating Programs ...........................................................................................165
WORKS CITED ..............................................................................................................166
vi IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
RESEARCH AND EVALUATION
COMPELLING DATA FROM CURRENT RESEARCH ...........................................................167
RESEARCH ...................................................................................................................172
Scientifically Based Research ...............................................................................173
Action Research ..................................................................................................174
Data-Driven Decision Making in the Media and Technology Program ........................175
Measuring the Media and Technology Program .......................................................175
Using School Data for Program Decisions ..............................................................175
EVALUATION ................................................................................................................176
HOW TO EVALUATE PROGRAMS ....................................................................................177
Guidelines for Evaluation .....................................................................................178
USING OUTPUT MEASURES FOR EVALUATION ...............................................................179
REFERENCE CHART: MEASURES AND WHAT THEY SUPPORT .........................................183
RESEARCH AND EVALUATION MODELS ..........................................................................184
Comprehensive Program Evaluation Model .............................................................184
Technology Focused Evaluation Models .................................................................185
PROGRAM EVALUATION RUBRICS .................................................................................186
Media and Technology Program Evaluation Rubrics ................................................187
System-Level Leadership and Support Evaluation Rubrics .......................................197
WORKS CITED ..............................................................................................................205
TABLE OF CONTENTS vii
APPENDICES
APPENDICES TABLE OF CONTENTS .............................................................................207
AMTR Guidelines ................................................................................................209
Collaborative Planning Session Rubric ...................................................................213
How to Talk to a Principal ....................................................................................217
Guidelines for Baseline Information in Media and Technology Policies .....................219
Suggested Guidelines for the Reconsideration of Instructional Materials –
Sample Policy .....................................................................................................239
Job Descriptions ..................................................................................................245
Media and Technology Advisory Committee ............................................................265
One-to-One Computing ........................................................................................269
Media Coordinator Performance Appraisal Instrument .............................................271
Technology Facilitator Performance Appraisal Instrument ........................................275
Sample Schedules – Media and Technology ...........................................................279
School Library Media Coordinator without a Technology Facilitator ...........................287
Wireless Local Area Network ................................................................................289
GLOSSARY
GLOSSARY ..................................................................................................................293
BIBLIOGRAPHY
BIBLIOGRAPHY ...........................................................................................................303
viii IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION 1
INTRODUCTION
“TECHNOLOGY IGNITES OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEARNING, ENGAGES TODAY’S
STUDENTS AS ACTIVE LEARNERS AND PARTICIPANTS IN DECISION-MAKING
ON THEIR OWN EDUCATIONAL FUTURES AND PREPARES OUR NATION FOR
THE DEMANDS OF A GLOBAL SOCIETY IN THE 21ST CENTURY.”
Toward A New Golden Age In American Education: How the Internet, the Law, and Today’s
Students are Revolutionizing Expectation, National Education Technology Plan 2004, U.S.
Department of Education, <http://www.nationaledtechplan.org/default.asp>
“THE CHALLENGE FACING AMERICA’S SCHOOLS IS THE EMPOWERMENT
OF ALL CHILDREN TO FUNCTION EFFECTIVELY IN THEIR FUTURE, A FUTURE
MARKED INCREASINGLY WITH CHANGE, INFORMATION GROWTH, AND
EVOLVING TECHNOLOGIES. TECHNOLOGY IS A POWERFUL TOOL WITH
ENORMOUS POTENTIAL FOR PAVING HIGH-SPEED HIGHWAYS, [MOVING THEM]
FROM OUTDATED EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS TO SYSTEMS CAPABLE OF
PROVIDING LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL, TO BETTER SERVE THE
NEEDS OF 21ST CENTURY WORK COMMUNICATIONS, LEARNING, AND LIFE.”
National Educational Technology Standards for Students, Connecting Curriculum and Technology,
International Society for Technology in Education, 2000.
2 IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
“INFORMATION LITERACY--THE ABILITY TO FIND AND USE INFORMATION--
IS THE KEYSTONE OF LIFELONG LEARNING. CREATING A FOUNDATION FOR
LIFELONG LEARNING IS AT THE HEART OF THE SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA
PROGRAM. JUST AS THE SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA CENTER HAS MOVED FAR
BEYOND A ROOM WITH BOOKS TO BECOME AN ACTIVE, TECHNOLOGY-RICH
LEARNING ENVIRONMENT WITH AN ARRAY OF INFORMATION RESOURCES,
THE SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA SPECIALIST TODAY FOCUSES ON THE PROCESS
OF LEARNING RATHER THAN DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION. THE LIBRARY
MEDIA PROGRAM COMBINES EFFECTIVE LEARNING AND TEACHING
STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES WITH INFORMATION ACCESS SKILLS.
INFORMATION AVAILABILITY WILL UNDOUBTEDLY CONTINUE TO MUSHROOM
INTO THE NEXT CENTURY, WHICH WILL MAKE A STRONG SCHOOL LIBRARY
MEDIA PROGRAM EVEN MORE ESSENTIAL TO HELP ITS USERS ACQUIRE
THE SKILLS THEY WILL NEED TO HARNESS AND USE INFORMATION FOR
A PRODUCTIVE AND FULFILLING LIFE.”
Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning, American Library Association,
Chicago, 1998.
Through the State Board of Education’s Strategic Plan for Excellent Schools, every
child has the opportunity to achieve at his or her highest potential in the fast-paced,
ever-changing environment of the 21st century. The rapid advance of technology
requires that all educators continually upgrade their skills, knowledge bases,
and perspectives.
Media and technology programs are an integral part of education. Collaboration
is the key. Teachers and media and technology personnel collaborate to create
a 21st century learning environment in which student learning is the focus. Students
simultaneously collaborate with each other and their teachers to learn how to solve
problems, complete real world tasks, and take charge of their own progress. The
added value of this collaborative, media and technology-enhanced environment
is thoughtful planning, differentiated instruction, and smaller class size.
IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs, released
in 2000, provided guidelines for school library media coordinators and technology
facilitators in North Carolina. The 2005 revision of the document updates information
in the original, continues to reflect national, state, and professional standards,
and adds a step-by-step guide to becoming an IMPACT school. It also provides
recommendations for programs, personnel, budgets, policies, resources, and facilities
that will guide media and technology programs as they support a resource-rich,
technology-rich learning environment.
IMPACT will help meet the information and technology challenge facing North Carolina
schools in the new millennium. As a result, media and technology programs will:
IMPACT TEACHING,
IMPACT LEARNING,
IMPACT MOTIVATION, AND
IMPACT STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.
INTRODUCTION 3
4 IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
IMPLEMENTING THE IMPACT MODEL
A How-to Guide
Dealing with the Change that the IMPACT Model
Will Bring
The Technology Facilitator Scenario
School Library Media Coordinator Scenario
Works Cited
IMPLEMENTING THE IMPACT MODEL: A HOW-TO GUIDE
Educators in schools interested in implementing the IMPACT Model always ask,
“What is the best way to begin?” While one school might decide to implement all
portions of the model simultaneously--hiring all the staff, implementing flexible access,
and initiating monthly grade-level collaborative planning sessions, others prefer a
phased-in model to help staff prepare for the change in school culture that will ensue.
The following guide offers strategies for implementing the IMPACT Model regardless
of the timeline that a school adopts. Please be aware, however, that all change is
difficult. Moving quickly and resolutely toward a new program may be less painful
than a drawn-out implementation.
PHASE 1: Building Support
The first step in implementing the IMPACT Model is creating an awareness of the
benefits of the model to students and teachers.
Administrative support is critical to implementing the model. The principal
should be an instructional leader who participates fully in the Media and
Technology Advisory Committee (MTAC).
Teachers and all stakeholders should be represented on the MTAC. Research
on the benefits of flexible scheduling can be shared with the MTAC whose members
will serve as advocates for the IMPACT Model within the school and community.
Parents and community members should be represented on the MTAC.
The school library media coordinator and technology facilitator should be active
participants in the School Improvement Team, ensuring that information and
technology skills are addressed within the school improvement plan.
A school wide planning retreat focusing on change, flexibility, and collaboration
provides the opportunity to share research on the IMPACT Model and address
initial concerns among the total staff.
The MTAC should communicate with educators in other schools in North Carolina
that have successfully implemented the IMPACT Model and learn from their
experiences.
IMPLEMENTING THE IMPACT MODEL 5
PHASE 2: Readiness Assessment
The second step in implementing the IMPACT Model is determining the readiness of your
school for successful implementation. Consider the following needs as you design this
assessment:
The school library media coordinator and technology facilitator, in collaboration
with the system-level technology director and system-level media director, should
review IMPACT guidelines and North Carolina Educational Technology Plan
recommendations for determining additional personnel.
The media coordinator and technology facilitator should conduct a needs assessment
for staff to determine their readiness to utilize technology and information in a
collaborative environment. This assessment may include technology application
skills, technology integration skills, flexible scheduling utilization, understanding
of collaborative teaching and learning, and how to ask open-ended questions.
Content area curriculum mapping/pacing guides should be reviewed and updated
for alignment to the Standard Course Of Study, relevance to current classroom
practice, and consistency across grade levels and subject areas.
The infrastructure should be evaluated for adequacy according to the standards
described in the North Carolina Educational Technology Plan.
Hardware access and software resources should be evaluated for adequacy and age
appropriateness according to North Carolina Educational Technology Plan standards.
The media collection should be evaluated through a collection analysis that maps
resources to the curriculum.
A long-term collection development plan should be created based on the collection
analysis. The collection should balance print and nonprint resources.
The media center schedule should be evaluated for its capacity to provide
point-of- need resources and services to students and staff. The master schedule
should be reviewed for options to create flexible access to media and technology
facilities and personnel.
The existing budget should be evaluated for the capacity to fund needs identified
in the readiness assessment. All potential external and internal sources of funding
should be identified in consultation with the system-level technology director, the
system-level media director, and the principal.
The MTAC should conduct a benchmark assessment of the media and technology
program using IMPACT rubrics.
PHASE 3: Setting the Stage for Successful Collaboration
The next step in implementing the IMPACT Model is to create a foundation for
collaborative planning that addresses needs identified in the readiness assessment.
The principal will attempt to meet personnel needs through re-assignment of
existing staff and recommendations to the superintendent for hiring additional staff.
With the support of the MTAC, the principal should articulate school-wide
expectations for collaboration. This may include a master planning calendar
based on curriculum mapping/pacing guides.
The principal will develop a schedule to provide flexible access to the school
library media coordinator and technology facilitator and facilities.
The media coordinator and technology facilitator will acquire print and non-print
resources based on the collection development plan.
6 IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
The media coordinator and technology facilitator will acquire adequate hardware/
software according to the recommendations of the North Carolina Educational
Technology Plan and the MTAC committee. These acquisitions should include
adaptive technologies for students with special needs.
The media coordinator and technology facilitator will offer professional development
on best practices in using technology and media resources to support student
achievement.
The system-level technology director will upgrade building infrastructure to meet
North Carolina Educational Technology Plan standards.
The media coordinator and technology facilitator, with the principal and teachers,
will analyze student data to identify school-wide student needs.
As members of the School Improvement Team, the media coordinator and
technology facilitator will identify goals for technology/information skills integration
in the School Improvement Plan.
The media coordinator and technology facilitator, with input from the MTAC,
will redesign the media center and classrooms to accommodate differentiation
of instructional activities with technology and flexible grouping.
PHASE 4: Formal Collaboration
The ultimate step in implementing the IMPACT model is creating collaborative planning
times. Using this time, the school library media coordinator, technology facilitator, and
classroom teachers collaboratively will:
Plan together to create and evaluate multidisciplinary units of instruction
integrating technology/information skills across the curriculum;
Design differentiated instructional activities to meet individual student needs;
Identify regular common planning time for team collaboration by grade level
and subject;
Assess student products emerging from collaboratively planned units of instruction
(New assessment tools and rubrics should be created as needed.);
Celebrate student achievement and recognize teachers for their successes;
Evaluate the outcomes of common planning times using a variety of methods
such as surveys, reflections, and plus/delta charts.
PHASE 5: Beyond the Classroom
Collaborative planning will expand the opportunities for integrating resources beyond
the classroom. The increased use of media and technology resources in instruction
makes it important to expand access to these resources beyond the traditional school
day and the traditional school community.
The school library media coordinator and technology facilitator will identify and
integrate outside resources into collaborative units of instruction. These resources
may include local, state, and national educational resources including print, digital,
and human resources.
The media coordinator and technology facilitator will work with partners to provide
after school programs for children, parents, and community members. (For example,
Computer Camps, Computer Clubs, Book Clubs, technology training for adults, family
technology and reading nights.) The media center and technology facilities may be
opened extended hours and staffed by educators who have negotiated flexible hours
with the administration, by separately hired staff, and/or by volunteers.
IMPLEMENTING THE IMPACT MODEL 7
ON-GOING: Evaluation
Implementation of the IMPACT Model may be evaluated by the MTAC using
the following guided reflection questions.
What impact does a supportive environment have on media and technology
access and use?
What impact do media, technology, and collaboration have on the total
school program?
What impact does communication have on the total school program?
What impact do research-based practices in technology, literacy, and
information skills have on student learning?
Does integration of technology/information skills throughout the curriculum
enhance student learning?
What areas of the curriculum can most effectively be enhanced with technology/
information skills?
Does the use of technology as a learning tool improve student achievement?
To what extent is data used in making decisions about hardware/software
allocations and selection of media resources?
To what extent are technology and media resources accessible to all students?
To what extent are technical support personnel provided and technical support
procedures implemented?
To what extent are technology and media resources accessible during and
beyond the school day?
To what extent has the school established and maintained an effective
communications system?
To what extent does the school support and promote collaboration?
To what extent are procedures used to monitor, evaluate, and review progress
of technology initiatives?
To what extent is effective professional development provided?
To what extent are student/curricular needs being fulfilled by identified
media and technology resources?
ORIENTATION FOR NEW STAFF AND ADMINISTRATORS:
The school must recruit and hire teachers who are receptive to the
IMPACT Model.
The MTAC will provide orientation for new staff and administrators
to the IMPACT Model.
8 IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
DEALING WITH THE CHANGE THAT THE IMPACT MODEL WILL BRING
“THE CONVICTION THAT LEARNING GOALS SHOULD BE FIXED AND TIME A
FLEXIBLE RESOURCE OPENS UP PROFOUND OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHANGE.”
(United States. Department of Education. “Prisoners of Time.”)
USING THE CONCERNS-BASED ADOPTION MODEL (CBAM) TO MOVE
TEACHERS FORWARD IN THE IMPACT MODEL
In order for the IMPACT Model to work in a school, it must have the support and under-standing
of classroom teachers. Teachers must understand the changes that will occur
in their classrooms and in their teaching as a result of this model. The administrative
and media and technology staff must support and nurture teachers through this change.
Supporting and nurturing means addressing teachers as individuals and understanding
their concerns about the changes they are or will be experiencing. According to the
CBAM model of change, individuals involved in change can be identified as one of the
following:
INNOVATOR: Approximately 8% or any group can be considered innovators.
These individuals are eager to try new ideas, are open to change, and are willing
to take risks.
LEADER: Approximately 17% of any group can be considered leaders. These
individuals are open to change, but more thoughtful about getting involved.
EARLY MAJORITY: Approximately 29% of any group can be considered as the early
majority. These individuals are cautious and deliberate about deciding to adopt an
innovation.
LATE MAJORITY: Approximately 29% of any group can be considered as the late
majority. These individuals can skeptical of adopting new ideas and are “set in
their ways.”
RESISTER: Approximately 17% of any group can be considered resisters. These
individuals are suspicious and generally opposed to new ideas. (Hord, S., et al, 1998.)
It is important to recognize that these identifiers are not meant to be negative or
positive, but rather they allow a change facilitator to recognize what is needed to move
an individual through the change process. For the IMPACT Model, this means being
able to recognize how a teacher approaches a change to classroom practice and working
with each individual to better utilize the model.
Once the school library media coordinator, technology facilitator, and/or administrator
have identified each teacher’s adopter level, they should identify Stages of Concern.
The Stages of Concern help to identify how a person feels and thinks about a given
initiative. In the implementation of the IMPACT Model, teachers will move through
the stages as they become more comfortable with the collaborative process and the
IMPACT culture.
” IMPLEMENTING THE IMPACT MODEL 9
“CHANGE:
is a PROCESS,
not an event
is made by
INDIVIDUALS
first, then
institutions
is a highly
PERSONAL
experience
entails
DEVELOPMENTAL
growth in
feelings and
skills
(Hord, S., et al, 1998.)
STAGES OF CONCERN
0. AWARENESS: The individual either isn’t aware of the change being proposed
or doesn’t want to learn it.
1. INFORMATIONAL: The individual has heard of the program, but needs more
information.
2. PERSONAL: The individual’s main concern is how this program will affect
them on a personal level.
3. MANAGEMENT: The individual’s main concern is about the management,
scheduling, etc., of a specific program.
4. CONSEQUENCE: The individual’s primary concern is how the program will
affect students or how they can make the program work for their students.
5. COLLABORATION: The individual’s primary concern is how to make the
program work better by actively working on it with colleagues.
6. REFOCUSING: The individual’s primary concern is seeking out a new and
better change to implement.
When the media coordinator, technology facilitator, and/or administrator have identified
each teacher’s Stage of Concern, they can more easily communicate the needs of both
the teacher and the program. Teachers in the early stages of concern will need more
one-on-one assistance and encouragement than those in the later stages.
10 IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
WHAT TEACHERS MUST BE WILLING TO DO
When teachers understand that a change will take place, they will need to be completely
aware of what implementing the IMPACT Model will mean to their classroom and their
teaching practice.
TEACHERS MUST BE WILLING TO:
BE FLEXIBLE
Take risks
Try new things
Step out of the box
ASSESS STUDENT NEEDS
Analyze test scores
Understand individual learning styles
Survey individual interests
INITIATE COLLABORATION
Brainstorm ways the collaboration process can work for them and their students
Share ideas with school library media coordinator/technology facilitator and
other teachers
Begin the collaboration process
Evaluate project successes
FAIL
Technology doesn’t always work
Students don’t always work well collaboratively
The “best” lesson plan doesn’t always work out the way you planned
ASK FOR HELP
Students
Teachers
School library media coordinator
Technology facilitator
CELEBRATE SUCCESSES
Tell other teachers what is working well
Share with school library media coordinator and technology facilitator
Share with other schools
Share at conferences
USE: Web sites, bulletin boards, newsletters, displays, sharing lessons,
press releases, system-level collaboration fairs, school-wide activities
(Poetry Day, Technology Night), etc.
IMPLEMENTING THE IMPACT MODEL 11
CHANGE ROLES
Move from being the “sage on the stage” or “guide on the side” to the
“mentor in the center”
Facilitate the learning process
Allow students to begin taking responsibility for their own learning
Become a team member
Become a life-long learner
12 IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
THE TECHNOLOGY FACILITATOR SCENARIO
“THE IMPORTANT ISSUE IN EFFECTIVENESS FOR LEARNING IS NOT THE
SOPHISTICATION OF THE TECHNOLOGIES, BUT THE WAYS IN WHICH THEIR
CAPABILITIES AID AND MOTIVATE USERS”
(Dede, C., 2001).
Innovation Middle School is wired. Every classroom has three multimedia, Internet
accessible computers, an LCD projector, a Digital Interactive Whiteboard, a DVD player,
and curriculum appropriate hardware and software. Networked printers are located
on every hall, and each grade, 6th, 7th, and 8th, has a mobile computer lab. For
Mrs. Ray, the technology facilitator, a wired school means a very busy schedule.
Mrs. Ray has worked at Innovation Middle School for many years. Through her
experience and education, she has gained and applied many insights about technology
and the job of teaching.
Mrs. Ray knows that technology brings new resources into the classroom (Bajcsy, 2002).
For instance, this is the first year that Mr. Price has participated in the Global Lab
project with his eighth grade 1st period science class. Global Lab students around
the world create environmental profiles of their school. Students measure parameters
such as light intensity, carbon dioxide concentrations, air and soil temperature, and
soil moisture, then compile their data and exchange it with other schools across the
globe. Through the global lab project, Mr. Price’s students have information that
has not been available to his students in previous years. With observations available
from other students in diverse environments, his students make comparisons of their
environmental profile with profiles of other environments to make hypotheses and
observations. This morning Mrs. Ray works with Mr. Price and his students organizing
the data from the various environments in a database. While Mrs. Ray works with
students on creating a database, Mr. Price will work with students on organizing
and synthesizing the information in appropriate searchable fields and records.
Mrs. Ray also knows that with technology, teachers are able to develop new forms of
instruction (Means, 2000). Last summer, the Innovation Middle School Social Studies
team, developed lessons and an accompanying selection of online resources and
software, of texts, photographs, audio and video content. This morning in Mrs. Foust’s
second period social studies class, students are using the resources to create multimedia
reports instead of the traditional written reports on Asian history and culture. The group
assigned to explore the economy of China, uniquely explore the ties between the
American economy and China’s economy and working conditions in their multimedia
report titled Made in China. Students use photographs and voiceovers to explain the
implications of importing products from China to the United States. This morning Mrs.
Ray and Mrs. Powder, the school library media coordinator, are working with the students
on their projects. Mrs. Powder is instructing students on how to correctly cite sources
for multimedia and online resources. Mrs. Ray is helping students incorporate multime-dia
sources into their presentations correctly. Mrs. Foust comments that using the multi-media
resources gives greater content and depth to instruction and student assignments.
Discussions with many teachers confirm something else Mrs. Ray already knows.
Technology motivates student learning. Teachers suggest that technology motivates
students, because it creates an environment that involves students more directly than
traditional teaching tools (Schacter, 1999). Before Mrs. Ray heads to the sixth grade
team weekly planning meeting, she stops by Mrs. Brown’s 8th grade language arts class.
IMPLEMENTING THE IMPACT MODEL 13
Since Mrs. Brown replaced journal writing on required reading assignments with
Weblogs, her students’ writing has increased dramatically. Students are so involved
in writing and reading Weblog entries that they all scramble to get on the computers
before lunch. Because students are posting their responses online where every other
student can read the entry, students are reading the young adult literature thoroughly
and are posting more in-depth observations about what they are reading. Mrs. Brown
is ecstatic. Not only are students more engaged in the literature, but they are also
taking responsibility for their own learning.
After lunch Mrs. Ray heads for Mr. Mulroney’s room. Technology has been extremely
helpful in individualizing instruction for students, many of whom are served in excep-tional
classrooms (Lou, 2001). While Mr. Mulroney believes that technology helps
adapt instruction to student learning styles, he does not believe in isolated learning.
In Mr. Mulroney’s class, students are learning about volcanoes together through a
variety of activities. Mark and Adam are building a model volcano from everyday
kitchen products. Mary is using simulation software to simulate a volcanic eruption
by combining different gases with magma and rock. Linda and James are creating a
Hyperstudio stack on Mount St. Helen’s in Washington. Mr. Mulroney asked Mrs. Ray
to join the class this afternoon as students’ work on their different projects.
As students are leaving school, Mrs. Ray is setting up for professional development.
Mrs. Ray knows that effective use of instructional technology is dependent on the
teacher (Grove, Strudler, and Odell, 2004). Teachers must be confident in applying
technology when and where appropriate. To maintain their technology competency
in a fast-paced environment, professional development has becomes a high priority
for teachers. Today, Mrs. Ray is teaching sixth grade teachers about handhelds.
Before Mrs. Ray leaves for the day, she checks the next day’s schedule. She notes
that tomorrow Mrs. Caison, the music teacher, is using midi software in music
appreciation class . . .
For online video examples of technology facilitator scenarios visit the following Web site:
<http://www.ncwiseowl.org/IT/TFPAI/TFPAI.htm>
14 IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA COORDINATOR SCENARIO
INFORMATION LITERACY IS A TRANSFORMATIONAL PROCESS IN WHICH THE LEARNER
EVALUATES AND USES INFORMATION IN ITS VARIOUS FORMS FOR PERSONAL, SOCIAL,
AND PROFESSIONAL PURSUITS
(paraphrased from Abilock, 2004).
It is 7:00 a.m. – just another day in the Innovation school media center. Students
cluster in the foyer waiting for the library doors to open. The library is always used
heavily before the school day begins. Some students will come to the media center to
work on class assignments. Others will check out books. Teachers stop by to schedule
a class in the media center for a project. At 8:00 a.m., the first bell rings and the
media center empties while students flock to homeroom class.
Mr. Reynold’s seventh grade math class is the first class of the day for Mrs. Wright,
the school library media coordinator. Geometry is always a favorite part of the math
curriculum in seventh grade because students never tire of constructing shapes and
figures. Today, students are exploring an engineering geometric wonder of the world,
domes. Mrs. Wright is excited today to share some of the books in the media center
on the design and construction of structures. Some of Mrs. Wright’s favorites are
Building Big by David Macaulay, Experiment! Spiderwebs to Skyscrapers: The Science
of Structures by David Darling, and Eyewitness Books: Force & Motion by Peter Lafferty.
After Mr. Reynold’s class leaves, Mrs. Wright checks on a couple of eighth grade boys
who are investigating the various estuaries in North Carolina. Their assignment is to
locate an estuary to visit on a field trip. Mrs. Rowland, the media assistant, helps the
boys do a search on the Internet on estuaries in North Carolina. So far the boys have
information on the Neuse River, the Albemarle, and the Pamlico River Estuary. Mrs.
Wright directs the eighth grade boys to resources in the reference collection. Several
books on North Carolina can aid their decision. Notably, The Nature of North Carolina’s
Southern Coast: Barrier Islands, Coastal Waters and Wetlands by Dirk Frankenberg
describes several estuaries of interest.
The Lunchtime Book Club meets today. Students who join the club bring their lunch
to the library and discuss a book that they are reading. Currently, they are reading
The DoubleLife of Zoe Flynn by Janet Lee Carey about a girl who hides the fact from
her classmates that her family lives in a van. Mrs. Wright has several book clubs to meet
the varied interests of students. Her personal favorite is the sports heroes book club she
jointly coordinates with Mr. Reynolds. When reading is connected to real-world contexts
and personal interest students are more motivated to read (Ivey and Broaddus, 2001).
After lunch Mrs. Wright meets with the sixth grade collaborative planning team for the
afternoon. Each year the sixth grade teachers focus the instructional program around a
central theme. This year the theme is cities. The team has already decided the theme
for next year will be detectives. Today, they want to pinpoint resources and plan ideas
for integrating the theme with the SCOS. Mrs. Wright is excited. The detective/mystery
genre of young adult literature is always a favorite with middle grade students. Today
she suggests to Mrs. Johnson, the language arts teacher, Wolf Rider by Avi and Getting
Lincoln’s Goat by E. M. Goldman as literature for next year.
IMPLEMENTING THE IMPACT MODEL 15
Mrs. Wright also thinks the history detectives Web site (http://www.pbs.org/opb/
history detectives/index.html) will be the perfect fit for the social studies curriculum.
During the planning meeting she shows this Web site to Mr. Carter, the sixth grade
social studies teacher while Mr. Grady, the science teacher and Mr. Brown, the math
teacher discuss some ideas for integrating math and science with a detective theme.
Mrs. Wright has appreciated the insight that a theme-based approach has brought to
the sixth grade teachers. The sixth grade teachers recognize that their role as the
content specialist combined with the media specialist’s role as resource specialist
has helped build a stronger, more dynamic instructional program (Russell, 2002).
Theoretically, every unit of instruction in any subject curriculum has an opportunity
for a problem- or inquiry-based learning component that requires data, information,
and knowledge (Georges, 2004, p. 34). For Mrs. Wright, her role within the educational
institution is clear. It is her responsibility to seize every opportunity, to provide her
colleagues with instructional activities, and to create a collaborative atmosphere that
fosters information literacy.
For online video examples of school library media coordinator scenarios visit the
following Web site: <http://www.ncwiseowl.org/IT/MCPAI/MCPAI.htm>
16 IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
WORKS CITED
Abilock, D. “Information Literacy from Prehistory to K-20: A New Definition.”
Knowledge Quest 32.4 (2004): 9-11.
Bajcsy, R. “Technology and Learning.” Visions 2020: Transforming Education and
Training through Advanced Technologies. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of
Commerce, 2002.
Dede, C. “Vignettes about the future of Learning Technologies.” Visions 2020:
Transforming Education and Training through Advanced Technologies. Washington, DC:
U.S. Department of Commerce, 2002.
Georges, F. “Information Literacy, Collaboration, and ‘Killer Apps’: New Challenges
for Media Specialists.” Library Media Connection 23.2 (2004): 34-35.
Grove, K., N. Strudler, and S. Odell. “Mentoring Toward Technology Use: Cooperating
Teacher Practice in Supporting Student Teachers.” Journal of Research on Technology
in Education 37 (2004): 85-109.
Hord, S., W. Rutherford, L. Huling-Austin, and G. Hall. Taking Charge of Change.
Austin, TX: Southwest Educational Development Laboratory, 1998.
Ivey, G. and K. Broaddus. “Just Plain Reading: A Survey of What Makes Students
Want to Read in Middle School Classrooms.” Reading Research Quarterly 3. 4 (2001):
350-377.
Lou, Y., et al. “Small Group and Individual Learning with Technology: A Meta-Analysis.”
Review of Educational Research 71. 3 (2001): 449-521.
Means, B. “Accountability in Preparing Teachers to Use Technology.” 2000 State
Educational Technology Conference Papers. Washington, DC: Council of Chief State
School Officers, 2000.
Schacter, J. The Impact of Education Technology on Student Achievement: What the
Most Current Research Has to Say. Milken Exchange on Education Technology, 1999
<http://www.milkenexchange.org >.
United States. Department of Education. “Prisoners of Time.” National Education
Commission on Time and Learning. Apr. 1994
<http://www.ed.gov/ZipDocs/PrisonersOfTime.zip>.
IMPLEMENTING THE IMPACT MODEL 17
18 IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
TEACHING AND LEARNING
Vision
Collaboration
Integration of Information and Technology Skills
Access to Information Resources and Services
Collaboration for Assessment, Research, and Student
Achievement
Professional Development
Collaboration through Flexible Access
Flexible Access Looks Like This
Collaborating to Achieve Instructional Goals
Leadership and the Change Process
Making Flexible Access and Collaboration Work
Roles and Responsibilities of Collaborative Partners
Implementing Effective Collaborative Planning Sessions
Advocacy: Communicating Flexible Access and Collaboration
Reading and Literacy
Collaboration: Media and Technology, Reading, and Literacy
Reading Programs or Reading?
TEACHING AND LEARNING
VISION
School library media and technology programs should focus on student achievement
and involve the entire staff in collaboratively planning instructional programs that
are authentic and engaging, enriched by high-quality resources, current technologies,
and effective models of integration. A learner-centered approach to instruction
focuses attention on media and technology programs as vital instructional forces
that complement, support, and expand classroom learning. The ongoing assessment
of media and technology programs is the responsibility of teachers and administrators
working together with media and technology professionals. An effective media and
technology program supports the teaching and learning community through data-driven
collaboration, literacy, integration of technology and information skills with the total
curriculum, resources, staff development, and assessment.
COLLABORATION
“CREATING THE CONTEXT OF A COLLABORATIVE CULTURE REQUIRES MORE THAN
ENCOURAGING EDUCATORS TO WORK TOGETHER. THE TRADITION OF TEACHER ISOLATION
IS TOO DEEP TO BE UPROOTED SIMPLY BY OFFERING OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLEGIAL
ENDEAVORS. COLLABORATION BY INVITATION NEVER WORKS. LEADERS WHO FUNCTION AS
STAFF DEVELOPMENT LEADERS EMBED COLLABORATION IN THE STRUCTURE AND CULTURE
OF THEIR SCHOOLS. TEACHERS’ WORK IS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO ENSURE THAT EVERY
STAFF MEMBER IS A CONTRIBUTING MEMBER OF A COLLABORATIVE TEAM. CREATING AN
APPROPRIATE STRUCTURE FOR TEACHER COLLABORATION IS VITALLY IMPORTANT, BUT
ALSO INSUFFICIENT. LEADERS MUST DO MORE THAN ORGANIZE TEACHER TEAMS AND
HOPE FOR THE BEST. THEY MUST PROVIDE THE FOCUS, PARAMETERS, AND SUPPORT
TO HELP TEAMS FUNCTION EFFECTIVELY”
(“Designing Powerful Professional Development,” 2005).
Collaboration should be evident in all areas of the school environment as well as at the
system, regional, and state levels. Within the school, the school library media coordinator
and the technology facilitator work closely with teachers, administrators, students, and
support personnel. All of these people must be involved in the planning, implementation,
and evaluation of an instructional program integrated with media and technology.
For more information refer to the section on Collaboration Through Flexible Access.
TEACHING AND LEARNING 19
INTEGRATION OF INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY SKILLS
“TODAY’S STUDENT LIVES AND LEARNS IN A WORLD THAT HAS BEEN RADICALLY ALTERED
BY THE READY AVAILABILITY OF VAST STORES OF INFORMATION IN A VARIETY OF FORMATS.
THE LEARNING PROCESS AND THE INFORMATION SEARCH PROCESS MIRROR EACH OTHER:
STUDENTS ACTIVELY SEEK TO CONSTRUCT MEANING FROM THE SOURCES THEY ENCOUNTER
AND TO CREATE PRODUCTS THAT SHAPE AND COMMUNICATE THAT MEANING EFFECTIVELY.
DEVELOPING EXPERTISE IN ACCESSING, EVALUATING, AND USING INFORMATION IS IN
FACT THE AUTHENTIC LEARNING THAT MODERN EDUCATION SEEKS TO PROMOTE”
(NC Information Skills Curriculum Philosophy, 1999).
The school library media coordinator and technology facilitator play an integral role
in teaching students how to access, evaluate, and use information. They also support
students in being able to choose the most appropriate tool for collecting information
in multiple formats and then organizing, linking, evaluating, and through synthesis,
discovering how to present the information. “An array of tools for acquiring information
and for thinking and expression allows more students more ways to enter the learning
enterprise successfully and to live productive lives in the global, digital, and information-based
future they all face” (Philosophy: North Carolina Standard Course of Study, 2004).
These skills are embedded throughout the Information and Computer/Technology Skills
curricula and are essential to teaching and learning. It is vital that these skills are fully
integrated across the curriculum.
To integrate these skills seamlessly across the curriculum, the media coordinator
and technology facilitator need to “provide strong and creative leadership in building
and nurturing the culture of learning, both as a teacher and as an instructional
partner” (AASL and AECT, 1998). As teachers, the school library media coordinator
and technology facilitator will need to “use both traditional materials and innovative
resources” (AASL and AECT, 1998) to provide meaningful instruction. This can
be achieved through instruction in a full range of information concepts and
strategies, so that students will have the skills needed to interact effectively with
all information resources.
A research process is one of the types of innovative resources that can be used
whenever students are in a situation, academic or personal, that requires information
to solve a problem, make a decision, or complete a task. A systematic research model
such as the Big Six provides an information problem-solving process, and a set of skills
that provide a strategy for effectively and efficiently meeting information needs.
It is important to remember that the integration of information and computer/
technology skills across the curriculum does not take place in isolation, but occurs
through collaborative planning. The involvement of media and technology professionals
in all aspects of curriculum implementation is fundamental to collaboration.
20 IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
BEING INVOLVED WITH THE CURRICULUM TO ACHIEVE INSTRUCTIONAL GOALS MEANS:
Developing a thorough knowledge of the North Carolina Standard Course
of Study for all subject areas and grade levels within the school
<http://www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum>;
Working with teachers to integrate media and technology into instruction across
all subject areas and grade levels (See scenarios for school library media coordinator
and technology facilitator in Implementing the IMPACT Model);
Serving on the School Improvement Team;
Working on subject area and grade level teams and committees at the building,
system, and state level;
Taking leadership roles on the Media and Technology Advisory Committee;
Analyzing the School Improvement Plan for areas of instructional focus;
Reflecting the School Improvement Plan in instruction and in the acquisition
of resources;
Analyzing test data with teachers to improve instructional focus;
Participating in grade level/departmental meetings;
Recommending appropriate information and technology resources to support
information and computer/technology skills, and critical thinking throughout
the curriculum;
Collaborating with teachers, staff, and other members of the learning community
to integrate information literacy competencies throughout the teaching and learning
process;
Developing a deep understanding of the information and computer/technology
skills for student learning and of the specific relationship between the skill and
the curricular goals of the school and system (AASL and AECT, 1998);
Developing and promoting specific plans for incorporating the information literacy
standards for student learning into day-to-day curricular and instructional activities
(AASL and AECT, 1998);
Collaborating regularly with teachers and other members of the learning community
to encourage students to become information literate, independent in their learning,
and socially responsible in their use of information and information technology
(AASL and AECT, 1998).
RESEARCH MODEL RESOURCES
THE BIG SIX OR THE SUPER THREE
<www.big6.com>
FLIP-IT
<www.aliceinfo.org/FLIPit.html>
FOLLETT’S INFORMATION SKILLS MODEL
<www.sparkfactor.com/clients/follett/home.html>
JAMIE MCKENZIE’S RESEARCH CYCLE
<http://questioning.org/rcycle.html>
TEACHING AND LEARNING 21
ACCESS TO INFORMATION RESOURCES AND SERVICES
IN THE TEACHING/LEARNING PROCESS
The media and technology program provides intellectual and physical access to a full
range of information and services for a community of learners and serves as a model
for responsible and creative information use. The school library media coordinator
and the technology facilitator collaborate with the school community to play an even
more important role as the quantity of information continues to grow. They guide
and promote a student-centered program; provide flexible and equitable access to
information for learning; and use the North Carolina Standard Course of Study to
help all students “construct meaning from the sources they encounter and to create
products that shape and communicate that meaning effectively” (NC Information
Skills Curriculum Philosophy, 1999).
It is critical for students to have the ability to process and create understanding from
all types of media in our exploding world of information. Real research and questioning
can become lifelong tools to encourage independent thinking and to guide classroom
inquiry at any time students are engaged in reading, viewing, or listening activities.
ENSURING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO INFORMATION MEANS:
Providing accurate, up-to-date, and developmentally appropriate print, non-print,
and technology resources that meet the curriculum-related and data-driven needs
of students and teachers;
Providing meaningful instruction in the full range of information concepts and
strategies that students need to interact effectively with all information resources;
Supporting intellectual freedom and students’ right to read.
Providing flexible access to media and technology resources, staff, and facilities
throughout the day;
Providing adequate staffing for the media center and computer labs before, during,
and after school for use by students, teachers, and members of the community;
Providing technologies (such as laptops, portable text devices, and digital cameras)
for individual, small group, classroom, and offsite use;
Purchasing software and assistive/adaptive hardware (such as speech synthesis
software, voice input technologies, and touch screens) that provide access to all
media and technology for students and teachers with special needs;
Providing large screen monitors or data/video projection devices for whole
class instruction.
22 IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs ”
““FLEXIBLE,
EQUITABLE, AND
FAR-REACHING
ACCESS . . .
IS ESSENTIAL TO
THE DEVELOPMENT
OF A VIBRANT,
ACTIVE LEARNING
COMMUNITY”
(AASL and AECT, 1998).
COLLABORATION FOR ASSESSMENT, RESEARCH, AND
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
Effective collaboration, clear instructional goals, the use of data, and continual
feedback impact achievement in a powerful way. The school library media coordinator
and the technology facilitator collaborate with teachers in the assessment of student
performance in many ways. Grade-level or subject area teams of teachers, along with
the school library media coordinator and the technology facilitator, meet routinely to
identify instructional strengths and weaknesses, analyze scores and other assessments,
and develop strategies to address the instructional needs of students. This process
is ongoing and involves continual examination of teaching practices and learning
opportunities as a means of becoming more effective. In this context, assessment
can be seen as part of the teaching and learning process as opposed to being a
separate task.
Collaboration to assess student learning should be evident in all areas of the school
environment, with the school library media coordinator and the technology facilitator
working closely with teachers, administrators, students, and support personnel. All
must be involved in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of an instructional
program integrated with media and technology.
School library media coordinators and technology facilitators are knowledgeable about
research and best practices and skilled in applying the findings to a variety of situations.
Media and technology programs can have a tremendous impact on student achievement
if they follow the direction provided by research and best practice, and then apply it
to ongoing assessment. In short, effective media and technology programs routinely
consult the research, see where it fits and how it applies, and then study the effects
so that necessary adjustments to the teaching and learning process can be made.
REFLECTION
Reflection is an important part of the educational process. Taking time to revisit
daily practice by asking the following questions allows educators the opportunity to
collaboratively and systematically assess teaching and learning practices, extract the
best strategies, and make refinements that ultimately lead to higher student achievement.
How did the use of technology influence student achievement and increase
motivation?
How many opportunities were offered for critical thinking and problem solving?
Did students use technology to solve real-life problems?
Did students engage in meaningful, relevant conversation?
Did students learn with one another through collaborative work and group problem
solving?
Did students have time to form opinions, debate, persuade, discover new
concepts, and make decisions?
Did students exercise choice at any point in the activity?
Did students engage in reflective debriefing and answer questions such as,
“What happened?” “What made you think that?” “What would you change?”
TEACHING AND LEARNING 23
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Quality professional development provides educators with the knowledge and skills to
build powerful collaborative teams and provide the interpersonal support and synergy
necessary for creatively addressing complex teaching and learning issues.
According to the North Carolina Office of Professional Development, professional devel-opment
leaders “must:
1. Provide time for collaboration in the school day and school year.
2. Identify critical questions to guide the work of collaborative teams.
3. Ask teams to create products as a result of their collaboration.
4. Insist that teams identify and pursue specific student achievement goals.
5. Provide teams with relevant data and information”
(“Designing Powerful Professional Development,” 2005).
The school library media coordinator and technology facilitator play an important role in
the planning and implementation of professional development that helps define and
achieve standards of excellence to ensure the success of every student. Teachers need
the skills, knowledge, time, and autonomy to decide what professional development they
need. The media coordinator and technology facilitator must work with building- and
system-level administrators to ensure that the professional development provided in their
school is based on needs assessment and data collection.
Media and technology personnel need to have an understanding of the school culture to
build a learning community within the school that encourages continuous learning.
Teachers should be rewarded for and encouraged to take risks, and be given the opportu-nity
to learn and share together. Effective professional development experiences provide
opportunities for teachers to build their knowledge and skills and broaden their teaching
approaches, so they can create better learning opportunities for students. Media coordi-nators
and technology facilitators acquire a school-wide perspective of professional devel-opment
needs as they plan collaboratively with teachers. This school-wide perspective
enables them to make decisions about appropriate data-driven professional development
and to acquire the resources to design it.
Media and technology professionals must encourage a data-driven process to determine
what professional development to provide, implement their process, and evaluate its
impact on student learning. This will ensure that teachers receive the quality professional
development they need so that all students can be successful.
In order to be effective, professional development must be assessed on a regular basis so
that improvements can be made. This will help to guarantee a positive impact on teach-er
effectiveness and student learning. Evaluation to determine the overall effectiveness
of a professional development program must be built in during the initial planning stage.
The collection of formative and summative assessment data should occur across the pro-fessional
development program. Formative assessments are conducted throughout the
professional development program, and summative evaluation occurs at the conclusion of
the program. Summative evaluation “should be collected at three levels: educator prac-tices,
organizational changes, and student outcomes” (“Designing Powerful Professional
Development,” 2005).
24 IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY PROFESSIONALS
The school library media coordinator and the technology facilitator are aware of the need
for appropriate professional development. They expect to continue learning throughout
their teaching career and to be able to improve their practice significantly through a vari-ety
of learning opportunities. Professional development must be provided for media and
technology personnel through local, state, and national opportunities. Professional devel-opment
not only benefits the individual in shaping his or her profession, but also helps
to ensure that best practice is everyday practice and that the most effective approaches
are used.
ASSESSING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT NEEDS MEANS:
Using formal assessment tools to determine professional development needs.
Prioritizing professional development opportunities based on needs assessment.
Evaluating the effectiveness of professional development efforts at regular intervals.
Using student test data in determining professional development.
Effective professional development is based on theory, research, and proven practice.
No Child Left Behind calls for professional development that:
is sustained, intensive, and classroom-focused,
is grounded on scientifically-based research,
is aligned with state content standards and assessments,
gives teachers of limited English proficient (LEP) students the knowledge and skills
necessary to teach them,
provides preparation in the appropriate use of curricula and assessments,
instructs in methods of teaching children with special needs,
is developed with extensive participation of teachers and principals, and
is regularly evaluated for impact on increased teacher effectiveness and improved
student academic achievement (NSDC Standards for Staff Development, 2001).
PLANNING HIGH QUALITY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MEANS:
Participating in regularly scheduled system-level, regional, and state meetings,
and sharing information with school staff;
Attending state, regional, and national conferences to report back on professional
development initiatives and trends;
Serving on professional development committees at the school and system levels.
Involving principals, teachers, and paraprofessionals in the planning of professional
development;
Assessing needs of administrators, teachers, and paraprofessionals for targeted
professional development;
Reflecting licensure requirements, ABC goals and objectives, and school
improvement goals in the school professional development plan -
<http://abcs.ncpublicschools.org/abcs/>;
TEACHING AND LEARNING 25
Providing a variety of professional development including online opportunities
that integrate media and technology into all curriculum areas;
Aligning professional development to the North Carolina Professional Development
Standards - <http://www.ncpublicschools.org/profdev/>;
Aligning professional development to the National Educational Technology Standards
for Teachers - <http://cnets.iste.org/teachers/t_stands.html>;
Using research-based models for professional development.
ENSURING HIGH QUALITY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MEANS:
Planning professional development that is aligned with building- and system-level
goals and promotes evaluation and follow-up.
Reflecting current research on teaching and learning.
Respecting and drawing from the knowledge and experience of teachers,
administrators, and paraprofessionals.
Providing a variety of professional development opportunities (such as just-in-time,
small-group, large-group, North Carolina Information Highway (NCIH), and online).
Providing that professional development is relevant to the classroom setting and
reflective of test data.
Providing professional development that gives teachers the knowledge and skills
necessary to work with all students.
Providing time for professional development design, and implementation.
Providing professional development for instructional leaders in data analysis,
collective inquiry, and collaborative planning.
Providing professional development that includes processes for formative and
summative assessment.
Creating an ongoing calendar of professional development opportunities tailored
to meet assessed professional development needs.
Providing time to learn, practice, and incorporate new skills into instruction.
Providing resources to support teachers as they implement new strategies in their
classrooms.
Providing follow-up through re-teaching, one-on-one tutoring, troubleshooting,
modeling, and other forms of support.
Evaluating professional development efforts on a continuing basis to ensure they
are meeting the needs of teachers and staff.
Providing the opportunity for self-assessment of needs and interests by teachers
prior to setting goals for professional growth.
26 IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
THE NATIONAL STAFF DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL STANDARDS
The National Staff Development Council (NSDC) issued standards for high quality
professional development which state that professional development:
should organize adults into learning communities whose goals are aligned with
those of the school and district;
requires skillful school and district leaders who guide continuous instructional
improvement;
requires resources, including time, to support adult learning and collaboration;
should use disaggregated student data to determine adult learning priorities,
monitor progress, and help sustain continuous improvement;
should use multiple sources of information to evaluate effectiveness; and
should prepare educators to understand and teach all students. (NSDC Standards
for Staff Development, 2001)
NORTH CAROLINA PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
Based on research by the National Staff Development Council (NSDC), the North
Carolina Professional Development Standards provide the vision and framework for
making professional development more responsive to the learning needs of both
educators and students. The standards propose that professional development “should
contribute to measurable improvement in student achievement” and that higher student
achievement is the goal. “Professional development that does not produce changes
in practice, [the standards emphasize] does not support improved student performance;
[furthermore] professional development must be powerful enough to result in changes
in schools and practice that lead to higher student achievement and higher teacher
performance” (“Designing Powerful Professional Development,” 2005).
“No Child Left Behind (NCLB) solidifies the presence of high-stakes accountability
systems in our schools, and as we raise the expectations for students and teachers,
we must provide high quality professional development [as it is essential for excellence
in teaching and learning]” (Professional Development, 2005). The National Staff
Development Council (NSDC) believes that one of the primary purposes of professional
development is school improvement as measured by the success of every student.
Success is evident through overall high student achievement (NSDC Standards for
Staff Development, 2001).
The North Carolina Professional Development Standards recommend that professional
development efforts must closely align with school improvement plans and thrive within
existing school operations and structures. This systems-thinking approach to planning
can be guided by the following questions:
What are our goals for our students?
What must we (the adults) learn in order to help our students learn?
What is the best design for the adult learning?
What is in place in our school that we would need to change or strengthen
in order to meet our learning goals and our student goals?
How would we know if we were achieving our goals?
(“Designing Powerful Professional Development,” 2005)
TEACHING AND LEARNING 27
The North Carolina Professional Standards recommend that a well-designed professional
development program will include “a clear and specific presentation of the theory
supporting the new practices: modeling, demonstration, coaching, feedback, and
practice. Questions to guide evaluation of program quality include:
Is this model appropriate for the intended outcomes?
Does the program design include inquiry into how learning can be improved?
Which model of professional development was used to design this program?”
(“Designing Powerful Professional Development,” 2005)
The North Carolina Professional Development Standards are organized according
to the context/process/content schema:
CONTEXT STANDARDS: address the organization, system, and culture in which
the new learning will be implemented
PROCESS STANDARDS: refer to the “how” of professional development describing
the learning processes used in the acquisition of new
knowledge and skills and addressing the use of data,
evaluation and research.
CONTENT STANDARDS: refer to the “what” of professional development.
28 IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
NORTH CAROLINA PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
CONTEXT STANDARDS
LEARNING Professional development that improves the learning of all
students organizes adults into learning communities whose
goals are aligned with those of the school and district.
LEADERSHIP: Professional development that improves the learning of all
students requires skillful school and district leaders who guide
continuous instructional improvement.
RESOURCES: Professional development that improves the learning of all
students requires resources to support adult learning and
collaboration.
PROCESS STANDARDS
DATA-DRIVEN: Professional development that improves the learning of all
students uses disaggregated student data to determine adult
learning priorities, monitor progress, and help
sustain continuous improvement.
EVALUATION: Professional development that improves the learning of
all students uses multiple sources of information to guide
improvement and demonstrate its impact.
RESEARCH-BASED: Professional development that improves the learning of
all students prepares educators to apply research to
decision making.
DESIGN: Professional development that improves the learning of all
students uses learning strategies appropriate to the intended goal.
LEARNING: Professional development that improves the learning of all
students applies knowledge about human learning and change.
COLLABORATION: Professional development that improves the learning of all
students provides educators with the knowledge and skills
to collaborate.
CONTENT STANDARDS
EQUITY: Professional development that improves the learning of
all students prepares educators to understand and appreciate
all students, create safe, orderly and supportive learning
environments, and hold high expectations for their academic
achievement.
QUALITY TEACHING: Professional development that improves the learning of all
students deepens educators’ content knowledge, provides them
with research-based instructional strategies to assist students
in meeting rigorous academic standards, and prepares them
to use various types of classroom assessments appropriately.
FAMILY INVOLVEMENT: Professional development that improves the learning of all
students provides educators with knowledge and skills to
involve families and other stakeholders appropriately.
(“Designing Powerful Professional Development,” 2005)
TEACHING AND LEARNING 29
COMMUNITIES:
RESOURCES TO SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANNING
Data and Research
<http://www.nsdc.org/library/research.cfm#tools>
Designing Powerful Professional Development for Teachers, Administrators,
and School Leaders
<http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/profdev/guidelines/ncguidelines/guidetodesigning.pdf>
How Teachers Learn Best
<http://www.fno.org/mar01/howlearn.html>
Is This School a Learning Organization – 10 Ways to Tell
<http://www.nsdc.org/library/publications/jsd/brandt241.cfm>
Learning by the Numbers
<http://www.edutopia.org/php/article.php?id=Art_924>
Professional Development Articles
<http://www.fsc.follett.com/resources/professional_development.cfm>
Professional Development IQ Test
<http://www.nsdc.org/library/basics/profdevIQ.cfm>
The Toolbelt: A Collection of Data-Driven Decision-Making Tools for Educators
<http://www.ncrel.org/toolbelt/index.html>
What Works in the Elementary School: Results-Based Staff Development
<http://www.nsdc.org/connect/projects/resultsbased.cfm>
What Works in the Middle: Results-Based Staff Development
<http://www.nsdc.org/midbook/index.cfm>
What Works in the High School: Results-Based Staff Development
<http://www.nsdc.org/connect/projects/hswhatworks.pdf>
30 IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
COLLABORATION THROUGH FLEXIBLE ACCESS
“WHAT SETS COLLABORATION APART . . . IS THAT THE OUTCOME IS GREATER THAN
THE SUM OF THE PARTS.”
(Bush, 2003)
DEFINITION OF TERMS
Flexible access enables students and teachers to use and circulate the resources of the
media center and computer lab throughout the day and to have the services of the school
library media coordinator and technology facilitator at point, time, and location of need.
Collaboration is a process facilitated by flexible access. Collaboration within the
IMPACT Model means that the school library media coordinator and technology facilitator
work closely with teachers to plan, implement, and evaluate classroom lessons, units,
and the overall instructional program.
Preparing students to succeed in the 21st century is an enormous challenge that
requires the combined efforts of all educators. Teachers need ongoing support for their
instructional programs to meet the challenges of addressing individual student needs
and learning styles. A key component of the research-based IMPACT Model is that the
media and technology program plays a vital role in today’s schools by providing flexible
access to relevant resources and flexible instruction based on collaborative planning.
Flexible access and collaboration impact student achievement by using student data
to design focused instructional strategies, allowing for differentiation of student
learning, addressing multiple learning styles, allowing for timely individual intervention,
and reducing class size.
No Child Left Behind emphasizes the importance of implementing educational programs
and practices proven effective in improving student learning and achievement through
rigorous scientific research. A substantive body of scientifically-based research has
documented the positive impact of flexible access and collaboration on student
achievement (<http://www.lrs.org/impact.asp>).
“A SUBSTANTIAL BODY OF RESEARCH SINCE 1990 SHOWS A POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN SCHOOL LIBRARIES AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT. THE RESEARCH STUDIES SHOW
THAT SCHOOL LIBRARIES CAN HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT—
WHETHER SUCH ACHIEVEMENT IS MEASURED IN TERMS OF READING SCORES, LITERACY,
OR LEARNING MORE GENERALLY. A SCHOOL LIBRARY PROGRAM THAT IS ADEQUATELY
STAFFED, RESOURCED, AND FUNDED CAN LEAD TO HIGHER STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
REGARDLESS OF THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC OR EDUCATIONAL LEVELS OF THE COMMUNITY”
(School Libraries Work!, 2004).
Collaboration is sharing new ideas, strategies and resources to create dynamic and
well-planned lessons that foster active learning. The involvement of media and
technology professionals in all aspects of curriculum implementation is fundamental
to the collaborative process. This is facilitated by flexible access to both the media
center and the computer lab and to all their resources, as well as to the services
of these professionals during common planning periods.
TEACHING AND LEARNING 31
“HIGH-ACHIEVING SCHOOLS TEND TO HAVE MORE TECHNOLOGICAL RESOURCES. BAULE
(1997) FOUND THAT SCHOOLS WITH EXEMPLARY TECHNOLOGY WERE ALSO MORE LIKELY
TO HAVE HIGH-QUALITY SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA PROGRAMS. YETTER (1994) OBSERVED
THAT THE LIBRARY MEDIA CENTERS IN SUCCESSFUL RESOURCE-BASED LEARNING SCHOOLS
HAD MODERN, SPACIOUS FACILITIES DESIGNED FOR FLEXIBLE USE AND ACCESS TO
TECHNOLOGY. GEHLKEN (1994) NOTED THAT ALL THREE BLUE RIBBON SCHOOLS STUDIED
HAD LIBRARY MEDIA CENTERS WHICH WERE COMMITTED TO INCREASING STUDENT ACCESS
TO TECHNOLOGY, AND WHICH HAD THE FLEXIBILITY AND ELECTRONIC CAPABILITIES
TO ACCOMMODATE THE CHANGING NEEDS CREATED BY NEW TECHNOLOGIES”
(Michigan State Government, 2003).
The collaborative process begins with an integration phase, develops into cooperatively
planned activities, and culminates with full collaborative units.
Integration is the alignment of media and technology resources to support classroom
topics and the instructional needs of students.
Cooperative activities result when media and technology personnel design lessons
independently in support of classroom objectives and instruction.
Collaboration requires co-planning between teachers and media and technology
personnel to create cross-curricular lessons and units that are jointly delivered
and evaluated.
Initially, media and technology professionals meet occasionally with classroom teachers
to plan cooperatively. There may be a combination of fixed classes, as well as times
for open access. At the next stage, media and technology professionals meet with
teachers on a regular basis to plan learning experiences, and there are no fixed times for
instruction in the media center or computer lab. At the highest level of implementation,
formal units of instruction are collaboratively planned, implemented, and evaluated.
Teachers and media and technology professionals meet routinely to analyze and use
data and to determine instructional strategies and resources to improve teaching and
learning. At this stage, media and technology professionals may also co-teach with
classroom teachers.
Once a collaborative environment is established, the school library media coordinator
and technology facilitator will continue to work at the various levels to support classroom
instruction as needs arise. With in-depth collaborative planning, teachers and media
and technology professionals meet routinely to analyze and use data and to determine
instructional strategies and resources to improve teaching and learning.
“THE NATIONAL LIBRARY POWER PROJECT, INVOLVING 700 SCHOOLS IN 19 SCHOOL
DISTRICTS, REQUIRED IMPLEMENTATION OF COOPERATIVE PLANNING AND TEACHING
AND FLEXIBLE SCHEDULING OF THE LIBRARY. RESULTS OF THE STUDY INDICATED:
MORE COLLABORATIVE WORK ENVIRONMENTS AND INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS
FOCUSING ON INTERDISCIPLINARIY, INQUIRY- AND PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING;
MORE FREQUENT VISITS TO THE LIBRARY AS A RESULT OF IMPLEMENTATION OF
FLEXIBLE SCHEDULING;
MORE ENGAGING AND EDUCATIONALLY RICH LEARNING ACTIVITIES FOR STUDENTS”
(Research on Flexible Access to School Libraries, 2002).
32 IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
FLEXIBLE ACCESS LOOKS LIKE THIS:
Students and teachers move freely in and out of the school library media center
and the computer lab for activities such as researching print and electronic resources
for an assignment and creating a multimedia presentation.
Students come to the media center all day long to check out books and other
resources regardless of other activities taking place in the media center.
Students move in and out of the computer lab throughout the day to use
electronic resources.
One grade level group of teachers is planning with the school library media
coordinator and/or the technology facilitator for a new collaborative unit of instruction.
Meanwhile, children, under the supervision of media or technology assistants, come
from various classes to the media center to check out a book or read a magazine,
or to use resources in the computer lab.
Teachers check with the technology facilitator and school library media coordinator
for available blocks of time to bring in their classes to begin work on a collaborative
unit--or send a small group of students to work with the school library media
coordinator and/or the technology facilitator
A fourth grade class and their teacher enter the computer lab to work with the
technology facilitator on the development of their North Carolina portfolios.
Those same fourth graders may leave the computer lab periodically to find print
resources in the media center to aid in the development of their portfolio. All
students are working with the teacher, the school library media coordinator, and
the technology facilitator to find resources and learn skills that will help them finish
their assignment.
While a class may stay in the computer lab or media center only twenty minutes
during a curriculum-related activity, such as using a software application or
participating in story time, other students may be in the computer lab and/or the
media center for two or three hours, depending on the time allotted for an activity.
COLLABORATING TO ACHIEVE INSTRUCTIONAL GOALS
LOOKS LIKE THIS:
SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA COORDINATORS AND TECHNOLOGY FACILITATORS:
Develop strong instructional partnerships with classroom and special area teachers
by working together to plan and implement instruction and to evaluate instructional
outcomes;
Use the best available models of instruction, collaboration, and cooperative learning;
Ensure that instruction takes place in a student-centered, project-based environment;
Plan projects and activities with teachers that are relevant to real-life problems and
support the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills in students;
Create small group activities with heterogeneous groupings to accomplish curriculum
goals and objectives;
Help teachers to address different learning styles by using high-quality resources
in a variety of formats;
Involve students with setting goals for learning;
Work with teachers and students to create rubrics for project evaluation;
TEACHING AND LEARNING 33
Create and share a file or database within the school of collaboratively developed lesson
plans and related materials keyed to the North Carolina Standard Course of Study;
Search for lesson plans and successful teaching models in other schools, at conferences,
and in the professional literature;
Participate actively in the planning and evaluation of local, regional, and state activities
such as Battle of the Books, Multimedia Mania, technology fairs, Quiz Bowl, and the
North Carolina Children’s Book Award.
(See <http://video.dpi.state.nc.us/eforums/impact_videos/> )
“COLLABORATION AFFORDS GENERAL EDUCATORS, SPECIAL EDUCATORS, AND SUPPORT
PERSONNEL OPPORTUNITY TO ESTABLISH REWARDING AND LONG LASTING SOCIAL AND
PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS. ACCORDINGLY, MORE SCHOOL PERSONNEL RECOGNIZE
THAT COLLABORATION FOSTERS A SENSE OF SHARED RESPONSIBILITY FOR EDUCATING
HETEROGENEOUS GROUPS OF STUDENTS (FRIEND & COOK, 2000). FINALLY, THE
GROWING EMPHASIS ON COLLABORATION STEMS FROM THE VERY NATURE OF SCHOOLS
THEMSELVES-SETTINGS IN WHICH A RANGE OF RESPONSIBILITIES AND DEMANDS CAN
BE ADDRESSED MORE APPROPRIATELY BY COLLABORATIVE OR TEAM APPROACHES THAN
BY INDIVIDUAL, ISOLATED EFFORTS”
(Gable, 2004).
LEADERSHIP AND THE CHANGE PROCESS
In order to implement flexible access and collaboration, school library media and
tech-nology professionals need to understand their leadership roles as change agents
and the change process, itself. Implementing flexible access and collaboration changes
school climate, so ultimately, media and technology professionals are catalysts for school
reform. When media and technology professionals assume leadership roles, they have
the opportunity to facilitate discussions about how flexible access and collaboration can
support teaching and learning and positively impact student achievement. At the same
time, they build the capacity to implement change. Together, they should co-chair the
Media and Technology Advisory Committee (MTAC) and should have a voice within the
School Leadership Team (SIT). Membership on the SIT can open the door for media
and technology professionals to be involved in the master scheduling of the school,
including decisions regarding planning time.
WHAT MAKES FLEXIBLE ACCESS AND COLLABORATION WORK?
Vision, informed leadership, flexible attitudes, and professional development, along with
staffing, budget, resources, and common planning time are the pre-existing conditions
essential to making flexible access and collaboration work in schools.
“FLEXIBLE ACCESS TO MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES AND PERSONNEL CAN MAKE
AN IMMEDIATE SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THE USE AND INTEGRATION OF MEDIA/TECHNOLOGY
RESOURCES WITH ADEQUATE STAFFING, RESOURCES, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND
ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT. THIS CHANGE CAN HAPPEN QUICKLY IF THESE CRITICAL
ELEMENTS ARE IN PLACE. THE SINGLE MOST CRITICAL FACTOR AFFECTING THE EASE OF
TRANSITION TO FLEXIBLE SCHEDULING APPEARS TO BE THE PREPARATION, EXPERIENCE
AND ATTITUDE OF THE MEDIA COORDINATOR AND TECHNOLOGY FACILITATOR”
(Stallings, 2005).
34 IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY STAFFING FOR FLEXIBLE ACCESS/COLLABORATION
POSITION CERTIFIED CLASSIFIED ROLE IN FLEXIBLE ACCESS
SCHOOL LIBRARY 076
MEDIA COORDINATOR
TECHNOLOGY 079 OR
FACILITATOR 077
FULL-TIME Yes
MEDIA ASSISTANT*
FULL-TIME Yes
TECHNOLOGY
ASSISTANT*
TECHNICIAN Yes
* Appropriate media and technology assistant staffing supports collaboration by maintaining access
to the media and technology resources and facilities while collaborative partners plan and conduct
instructional activities.
TEACHING AND LEARNING 35
Maximize access to all resources through effective
management
Provide resources to support the curriculum in a
timely manner
Provide instructional support at the point of need
(small or large group)
Co-Lead the Media and Technology Advisory
Committee (MTAC)
Participate in the School Improvement Team (SIT)
Maximize access to all technology resources
through effective management
Provide technology resources to support the
curriculum in a timely manner
Provide instructional technology support at the
point of need (small or large group)
Co-Lead the Media and Technology Advisory
Committee (MTAC)
Participate in the School Improvement Team (SIT)
Serve as liaison between the school and the
system-level technology director
Manage circulation of resources to provide access
throughout the day.
Provide clerical assistance for resources management
Provide support for reference and research activities
Manage technology resources to provide access
throughout the day
Troubleshoot minor technology problems to ensure
access to resources throughout the day
Maintain technology infrastructure, hardware,
software
Serve as liaison between the school and
system-level technical support staff
36 IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF COLLABORATIVE PARTNERS
The integration of school library media and technology programs with instruction is the
joint responsibility of teachers, administrators, and media and technology professionals
working together to accomplish objectives that support desired outcomes for students.
COLLABORATING PARTNER RESPONSIBILITY
CLASSROOM TEACHER Curriculum content
Learning Styles
Student interest
Initiate collaboration
Facilitate the learning process
Share student data (IEP, AIG, and Testing data)
Chair collaborative meetings
SCHOOL LIBRARY Integrate information skills into the core curriculum
MEDIA COORDINATOR Understand the total curriculum
Share resources in a variety of formats
Share instructional strategies
Support small group instruction
Support differentiated learning
Advocate for a collaborative environment
TECHNOLOGY Integrate technology skills into the core curriculum
FACILITATOR Understand the total curriculum
Share resources in a variety of formats
Share instructional strategies
Support small group instruction
Support differentiated learning
Advocate for a collaborative environment
RESOURCE TEACHERS Integrate skills from their area of specialization with core curriculum content
Support the necessary use of assistive technology resources
Share student assessment data (IEP, AIG)
ADMINISTRATORS Allocate time for the collaborative process to occur
Provide financial support for acquisition of information resources
Support flexible access of media and technology programs and resources
Establish expectations for a collaborative environment
Evaluate effectiveness of media and technology programs
Support the leadership role of the school library media coordinator and
the technology facilitator
MTAC Advocate for a collaborative environment
(Media and Technology Participate in the selection of resources
Advisory Committee) Prioritize budget needs
Facilitate long term plans for the media and technology programs
Evaluate effectiveness of media and technology programs
SIT Advocate for a collaborative environment
(School Improvement Team) Distribute media and technology resources appropriately
Facilitate long term plans for media and technology programs
Determine alignment of MTAC recommendations with the school
improvement plan
Successful implementation of flexible access and collaboration requires long-term
planning. Development of the IMPACT Model, including flexible access to media
and technology resources and instructional support, will take 3-5 years. It is
important that the MTAC and the SIT have a shared vision for the learning process
that incorporates the key components of the IMPACT Model:
Technology-rich teaching and learning environment through flexible access
Resource-rich teaching and learning environment through flexible access
Collaboration among teachers and media and technology personnel facilitated
through flexible access
Strong administrative leadership and support
Adequate budget
TEACHING AND LEARNING 37
IMPLEMENTING EFFECTIVE COLLABORATIVE PLANNING SESSIONS
Extended time is required for teachers to meet with the technology facilitator and school
library media coordinator to analyze student test data, identify instructional objectives
and appropriate strategies for individual needs, and determine outcomes and evaluation
methods. Each grade-level or department team should have a 2-3 hour planning block
every four to six weeks when all instructional partners can meet and plan together.
TWO IDEAS FOR PROVIDING EXTENDED PLANNING TIME:
Each team meets on a different morning or afternoon, and classes are covered
by assistants from other classes (lending/borrowing approach);
Several or all grade-level teams meet on the same day in rotation with classes
covered by a team of substitutes who move around the building as the teams
do their planning. Substitutes are paid from staff development funds.
HOW DO YOU IMPLEMENT EFFECTIVE COLLABORATIVE PLANNING SESSIONS?
AS YOU PLAN TOGETHER:
THE CONVERSATION
Discuss curriculum goals and objectives
Brainstorm possible activities and scientifically-based teaching strategies
based on the analysis of student test scores and the identification of individual
weaknesses and strengths
Assign responsibilities for instruction
Determine and review necessary resources
Determine outcomes and how to evaluate
Schedule time for instructional activities
RULES OF THE ROAD
Lead teacher or department head chairs the meeting
Teachers talk about curriculum goals and ideas for instructional activities
School library media coordinator and technology facilitator bring related
resources and activity ideas
TOOLS TO GUIDE THE PROCESS
Curriculum maps/pacing guides
IMPACT for Teachers Web site
School-wide research process (Big6, FLIP it!, I-Search, etc.)
Planning forms
Collaboration Toolkit (see Appendix)
38 IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
Strategies for long-term implementation of flexible access and collaboration
should include:
alignment of the goals of flexible access and collaboration with the school
improvement plan
facilitated collaborative planning sessions
appropriate professional development
prioritized budget needs
development of a communication plan for internal and external stakesholders
What interim strategies can be used in the first year of implementing flexible access?
Implement flexible access for instruction in stages by grade-level (over no more
than one year)
Fixed circulation for primary during 1st semester; transition to flexible circulation
2nd semester
Fixed instructional schedule for specified days/times; flexible access for other
days/times
Individual schools are encouraged to assess the needs of their students and staff and
examine their school culture to determine what is needed to promote the IMPACT Model
and flexible access such as:
Self-checkout/in
Access to the online catalog from any workstation
User login procedures
Process and procedures for communication
Record keeping for collaboration with each teacher or grade-level/department team
Space/workstation utilization for small group and individual use
TEACHING AND LEARNING 39
ADVOCACY: COMMUNICATING WHAT FLEXIBLE ACCESS
AND COLLABORATION MEAN
The benefits of flexible access and collaborative planning to support instruction must
be communicated to the education community. While many view flexible access as the
loss of planning time for teachers, the benefits of flexible access to resources and media
and technology personnel in schools far outweigh any perceived loss of planning time.
When addressing administrators, teachers, parents and other members of the learning
community, emphasize these benefits:
FLEXIBLE ACCESS ENABLES
access to media center and computer lab resources when they are needed to support,
supplement, and enhance teaching and learning, thus impacting student achievement;
the school library media coordinator and the technology facilitator to plan with for
instruction with teachers and staff;
students to conduct in-depth research for information and resources, thus fostering
independence and life-long learning;
differentiated instruction in support of the goals and objectives of No Child Left
Behind and the ABCs Plus of Public Education
development of collaborative units of study culminating in student projects that
require higher-order thinking skills based on real-world challenges;
implementation of The Balanced Curriculum as recommended by the Instructional
Services Division, NC DPI;
teachable moment and just-in-time access to information and resources for students;
integration of information and technology skills into all curriculum areas as defined
by the NC Standard Course of Study;
reduction of the student-teacher ratio;
instruction to be delivered one-on-one, in small groups, or in whole-class settings
in order to address a variety of learning styles.
When advocating for flexible access, help administrators and teachers understand the
high price of a fixed schedule both academically and financially. Base all arguments
on the research that supports appropriate use of the school library media center and
the computer lab to impact student achievement (<http://www.lrs.org/impact.asp>).
Volunteer to help the principal brainstorm alternatives for coverage of teacher release
time so that the media center and computer lab are outside the planning block.
“IN A STUDENT-CENTERED LIBRARY MEDIA PROGRAM, LEARNING NEEDS TO TAKE
PRECEDENCE OVER CLASS SCHEDULES, SCHOOL HOURS, STUDENT CATEGORIZATIONS,
AND OTHER LOGISTICAL CONCERNS.”
(AASL and AECT, 1998).
40 IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
READING AND LITERACY
WHAT ARE WE REALLY ALL ABOUT?
Current emphases on student reading and writing, accompanied by testing mandates
and both state and national legislation, have certainly placed literacy achievement at
the forefront of what educators do. The vast array of definitions and terminology used
by education professionals today to define their missions or areas of expertise is giving
way to the recognition that all educators share both common ground and a common goal
for students: to ensure that all develop the skills necessary to be effective lifelong users
of ideas and information. Effective language and communication for the 21st century
involves all of the various “literacies” noted above, including enabling skills such as
reading, writing, and computing, as well as creative thinking and problem solving,
interpersonal skills, negotiation, and teamwork. Literacy is literacy is literacy.
Literacy is the business of the entire school and requires significant collaboration in
order to create a climate and culture that clearly values literacy skills and stresses their
importance. Schools must recognize that comprehension skills are not just the business
of the reading teacher, that reading promotion is not just the job of the school library
media program, and that Internet research strategies are not just the domain of the
instructional technology facilitator.
School library media coordinators and technology facilitators can provide leadership
in reinforcing the “big picture” focus, simultaneously demonstrating how the various
parts (such as independent reading, project-based authentic research, online strategies,
reading motivation, etc.) fit together with classroom instruction into a greater whole
through successful collaboration. Effective collaboration, however, requires effective
communication, and too often, semantics interferes in our efforts to work together.
“OUR CONCEPT OF LITERACY HAS BEEN BASED ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT PRINT IS THE PRIMARY
CARRIER OF INFORMATION IN OUR CULTURE AND THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT SKILLS ARE THOSE
THAT ENABLE STUDENTS TO UNDERSTAND AND EXPRESS THEMSELVES IN TEXT. THE NEW DEFINITION
OF LITERACY IS BASED ON A DIFFERENT ASSUMPTION: THAT DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY IS RAPIDLY
BECOMING A PRIMARY CARRIER OF INFORMATION AND THAT THE BROADER MEANS OF EXPRESSION
THAT THIS TECHNOLOGY MAKES POSSIBLE ARE NOW CRITICAL FOR EDUCATION. TEXT LITERACY
IS NECESSARY AND VALUABLE, BUT NO LONGER SUFFICIENT”
(Meyer and Rose, 2000).
Effective instructional technology and school library media programs recognize that
“digital-age literacy” involves much more than basic skills in reading and writing.
Both the school library media and instructional technology communities frequently
express frustration that “their message” is not getting across with classroom teachers,
administrators, or policy makers at the school board, state or federal levels. The news
media fails to pay adequate attention to school libraries or instructional technology
programs by focusing instead upon test scores and “why Johnny can’t read.” Media
and technology professionals must recognize that public attention, and that of classroom
teachers, administrators, and policy makers at the local, state, and national levels,
is focused more upon such traditional concepts of reading and writing than upon
“information literacy” or “instructional technology skills.” Likewise, others seem to
ignore or focus less on research about the impact and effectiveness of strong instructional
technology and school library media programs. School library media coordinators and
technology facilitators must effectively learn the terminology, best practices, and research
of the reading and literacy community, and then translate media and technology
terminology, best practices, and research into “their” language and experience.
TEACHING AND LEARNING 41
”
““READING” -
“LITERACY” -
“INFORMATION
LITERACY” -
“INSTRUCTIONAL
TECHNOLOGY SKILLS” -
“MEDIA LITERACY” -
“VISUAL LITERACY” -
“CONTEMPORARY
LITERACY” -
“NEW LITERACIES” -
“THINKING SKILLS” -
“21ST CENTURY
SKILLS”
The following examples highlight this “translated” collaboration, in which school library
media coordinators and/or technology facilitators use current research, models, and best
practices in literacy instruction to develop strong media and technology programs.
COLLABORATION: MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY, READING,
AND LITERACY
MODELED READING AND SHARED READING (as described in models for balanced
literacy instruction – Routman, 1991; Fountas and Pinnell, 1996; Cooper, 2003)
Reading aloud to students has long been a staple of school library media programs.
Occasionally utilizing specific strategies and questioning techniques as a part of school
library media read-aloud sessions reinforces the same kinds of explicit instruction that
are used in scaffolded classroom instruction. Such strategies are thoroughly discussed
in Read It Again!: Revisiting Shared Reading by Brenda Parkes (Stenhouse, 2000);
Creating buddy or partner reading programs that regularly pair readers to read aloud
to each other alternately;
Developing collections of books on tape to help develop fluency in independent
reading (Allen, 2000);
Readers’ theater strategies, including adapting picture books with large amounts of
dialogue into scripts or using web-based resources such as Aaron Shepard’s RT Page.
READING-WRITING WORKSHOP MODEL
“Internet Workshop: Making Time for Literacy” (Leu, 2000) provides a parallel
management structure to be utilized in flexibly accessed technology/computer labs
and/or school library media centers, and which could serve as a model for classroom
teachers seeking to integrate technology seamlessly into their daily literacy activities.
PRINT-RICH INSTRUCTIONAL ENVIRONMENTS AND BROAD CLASSROOM
LIBRARY COLLECTIONS
Existing classroom library collections can be broadened significantly by the addition
of monthly-rotating “classroom collections” drawn from the school library media
collection (Routman, 1991).
Although school library media collections are organized by Dewey numbers, classroom
libraries are frequently structured to be “browser-friendly” by organizing materials in
a way that makes immediate sense to the student. Browsing bins or tubs of high-interest
materials organized by genre or topic, author, etc. (such groupings need not
be permanent) could rotate out as student interests change (Fountas & Pinnell, 1996).
RENEWED EMPHASIS ON COMPREHENSION OF NONFICTION AND EXPOSITORY TEXT
In Strategies That Work: Teaching Comprehension to Enhance Understanding
(Stenhouse, 2000) and Nonfiction Matters: Reading, Writing, and Research in
Grades 3-8 (Stenhouse, 1998), Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis provide
multiple strategies that parallel those modeled and taught by school library media
coordinators and technology facilitators when helping students with research projects.
Literacy strategies common to classroom instruction such as KWL or other kinds
of graphic organizers are useful for a variety of research activities.
Reading strategies for traditional print and linear text and those used for hypertext
on Web pages and Internet resources are remarkably similar, though some (e.g.,
skimming or scanning, using guided questions, text features, etc.) may deserve
greater emphasis when reading text online (Schmar-Dobler, 2003).
42 IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
Literature-based instruction and literature studies, which have traditionally focused
on novels and fiction, must include multiple forms of literacy. School library media
coordinators should be booktalking, creating recommended booklists, and providing
reading guidance for nonfiction. Scho

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IMPACT:
Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF NORTH CAROLINA
State Board of Education | Department of Public Instruction
Instructional Technology Division AUGUST 2005
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
In compliance with federal law, NC Public Schools administers all state-operated educational programs,
employment activities and admissions without discrimination because of race, religion, national or ethnic origin,
color, age, military service, disability, or gender, except where exemption is appropriate and allowed by law.
Inquiries or complaints should be directed to:
Dr. Elsie C. Leak, Associate Superintendent : : Office of Curriculum and School Reform Services
6307 Mail Service Center :: Raleigh, NC 27699-6307 :: Telephone 919-807-3761 :: Fax 919-807-3767
Visit us on the Web:: www.ncpublicschools.org
HOWARD N. LEE
Chairman : : Raleigh
JANE P. NORWOOD
Vice Chair : : Charlotte
KATHY A. TAFT
Greenville
MICHELLE HOWARD-VITAL
Wilmington
EDGAR D. MURPHY
Durham
SHIRLEY E. HARRIS *
Troy
MELISSA E. BARTLETT *
Mooresville
ROBERT “TOM” SPEED
Boone
WAYNE MCDEVITT
Asheville
JOHN TATE III
Charlotte
BEVERLY PERDUE
Lieutenant Governor :: New Bern
RICHARD MOORE
State Treasurer : : Kittrell
* not yet confirmed
May 25, 2005
NORTH CAROLINA MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY PROFESSIONALS:
It is with great pleasure that I commend to you the revised IMPACT: Guidelines
for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs. The acknowledgement of the
equal importance of both the school library media and the instructional technology
programs in teaching and learning is the premise of these guidelines.
We know that school library media and instructional technology programs are the
foundation of a 21st Century education. The access to information that these programs
afford makes the difference between the textbook-bound classroom of the past and
the far-reaching, resource-based curriculum of today and tomorrow. Research tells
us that instructional technology, used appropriately, results in higher test scores.
It is remarkably effective in sparking student interest, increasing motivation, and
raising self-esteem, thus positively impacting student achievement. Research also
tells us that a school library media center that provides up-to-date, accurate, and
attractive resources managed by a professional school library media coordinator who
collaborates with teachers to augment and enhance classroom instruction also results
in increased test scores, especially in reading. IMPACT reflects both the reality of
this research and the commitment to assuring that every teacher and student has
the academic and personal advantage of access to these high quality programs.
No North Carolina citizen can be left behind! Implementing the IMPACT Guidelines
in your school assures that our youngest citizens, their parents, and their teachers will
have the skills necessary to enter the 21st Century world of work and civic responsibility.
The school library media and instructional technology program and the resources it
promotes are central to the success of North Carolina’s ABCs of Public Education and
to Governor Easley’s 21st Century Learning Skills priority--in fact, to all school reform
initiatives throughout the state. IMPACT and the excellence it fosters are a part of
the vision and accountability necessary to produce schools that are First in America.
Howard N. Lee,
Chairman, Start Board of Education
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We welcome the opportunity to express appreciation to the following workgroup
participants who contributed their time, enthusiasm, and expertise in the development
of this document.
LOCAL EDUCATION AGENCIES
Beaufort County Patricia Morris
Carteret County Janet McLendon
Catawba County Judith Ray
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Hennie Driggers
Chapel Hill-Carrboro Mary Gray Leonard
Chatham County Kimberly M. Johnson
Davidson County Karen Perry
Gaston County Vivien R. Timmons
Granville County Dasie Roberts
Harnett County Tammy Genthe
Haywood County L. Kinney
Iredell-Statesville Barb Thorson
Lenoir County Julie Lee
Orange County Sonya Terry
NW RESA Karen Lowe
Perquimans County Victor Eure
Perquimans County Melissa Fields
Perquimans County Cynthia Stallings
Pitt County Kerry Mebane
Rockingham County Martha Carroll
Rockingham County Donna Edrington
Transylvania County Carrie H. Kirby
Wake County Rusty Taylor
Watauga County Shannon Carrol
Wilkes County Jaye Ellen Parks
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Jackie Pierson
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Jo Sapp
INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION
Appalachian State University Robert Sanders, PhD
East Carolina University Diane D. Kester, PhD
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Evelyn Daniel, PhD
University of North Carolina at Greensboro Nona Pryor
NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
Frances Bryant Bradburn
John Brim
Glen Buck
Karen Creech
Mary Lou Daily
Acacia Dixon
Janice Dunning
Zena Harvley-Felder
Benny Hendrix
Melanie Honeycutt
Ouida Myers
Campbell Price
Donna Sawyer
Gerry Solomon
Dan Sparlin
Wynn Smith
Annemarie Timmerman
FOREWORD
Welcome to the revised edition of IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and
Technology Programs!
IMPACT continues to be a part of the overall vision of the North Carolina Department
of Public Instruction. It recognizes that an effective school library media and technology
program is the infrastructure that supports both teaching and learning. This program
is the key to making education relevant to a knowledge-based society and its economy.
IMPACT is aligned to Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning, the national
standards for media and technology programs, the ISTE National Educational Technology
Standards, and a growing body of school library media and instructional technology
research. Also reflecting the recommendations of the 2005-2009 North Carolina
Educational Technology Plan, IMPACT acknowledges the importance of staffing each
school in North Carolina with both a school library media coordinator and a technology
facilitator. It also reflects a commitment to provide a roadmap for an integrated
media and technology program once these positions are in place. It offers assessment
instruments to assist in the evaluation of the media and technology program designed
to move us toward the State Board of Education goals of rigor, relevance, and
relationships, the foundation of a 21st Century educational and economic environment.
The revision of IMPACT reflects the reality that the media and technology program and
its resources are not static. In fact, they are constantly evolving, mandating on-going
update and revision. Thus, while there is a one-time print edition of this document, it
is also a Web-based publication . The online version
of IMPACT will be updated regularly, new resources created, further links added.
It will always be a work in progress.
IMPACT is also a publication for many audiences. Media and technology personnel
can no longer publish a document simply for themselves. IMPACT for Administrators
and IMPACT for
Classroom Teachers are targeted at those
whom our program directly affects: students, teachers, administrators, parents, and
the community. Also available are videos that allow everyone to see and expand their
understanding of how an IMPACT Model School functions on a day-to-day basis.
Only when everyone concerned
with the education of our children understands the integral part that the media and
technology program plays in high student achievement will the commitment to fund
these resources be made. Thus, it is imperative that we use IMPACT to inform all
citizens in North Carolina of the importance of our role in education.
Media and technology professionals live in exciting times. The public is beginning to
understand the link between our programs and services and a high quality education.
We dare not squander this opportunity. IMPACT is a tool that will help media and
technology personnel at both the state and local levels work together to plan and
build effective, comprehensive teaching and learning environments for the 21st
Century. We look forward to the challenge!
Frances Bryant Bradburn, Director
Division of Instructional Technology
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................................1
IMPLEMENTING THE IMPACT MODEL
IMPLEMENTING THE IMPACT MODEL: A HOW-TO GUIDE ..................................................5
PHASE 1: Building Support ....................................................................................5
PHASE 2: Readiness Assessment ............................................................................6
PHASE 3: Setting the Stage for Successful Collaboration ..........................................6
PHASE 4: Formal Collaboration ...............................................................................7
PHASE 5: Beyond the Classroom .............................................................................7
On-going: Evaluation ...............................................................................................8
DEALING WITH THE CHANGE THAT THE IMPACT MODEL WILL BRING ...............................9
Using the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM) to Move Teachers
Forward in the IMPACT Model .................................................................................9
What Teachers Must Be Willing to Do .....................................................................11
THE TECHNOLOGY FACILITATOR SCENARIO ....................................................................13
SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA COORDINATOR SCENARIO .......................................................15
WORKS CITED ...............................................................................................................17
TABLE OF CONTENTS i
TEACHING AND LEARNING
VISION ..........................................................................................................................19
COLLABORATION ...........................................................................................................19
INTEGRATION OF INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY SKILLS ............................................20
ACCESS TO INFORMATION RESOURCES AND SERVICES IN THE TEACHING/
LEARNING PROCESS .....................................................................................................22
COLLABORATION FOR ASSESSMENT, RESEARCH, AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT ..............23
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT .....................................................................................24
Professional Development for Media and Technology Professionals ............................25
Assessing Professional Development .......................................................................25
Planning High Quality Professional Development .....................................................25
Ensuring High Quality Professional Development .....................................................26
The National Staff Development Council Standards .................................................27
North Carolina Professional Development Standards ................................................27
COLLABORATION THROUGH FLEXIBLE ACCESS ..............................................................31
FLEXIBLE ACCESS LOOKS LIKE THIS ..............................................................................33
COLLABORATING TO ACHIEVE INSTRUCTIONAL GOALS ...................................................33
LEADERSHIP AND THE CHANGE PROCESS .....................................................................34
MAKING FLEXIBLE ACCESS AND COLLABORATION WORK ...............................................34
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF COLLABORATIVE PARTNERS .....................................36
IMPLEMENTING EFFECTIVE COLLABORATIVE PLANNING SESSIONS ................................38
ADVOCACY: COMMUNICATING FLEXIBLE ACCESS AND COLLABORATION .........................40
READING AND LITERACY ...............................................................................................41
COLLABORATION: MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY, READING, AND LITERACY ..........................42
READING PROGRAMS OR READING? ..............................................................................45
WORKS CITED ...............................................................................................................47
ii IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
INFORMATION ACCESS AND DELIVERY
INFORMATION ACCESS AND DELIVERY: THE HEART OF EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS ..............53
RESOURCES, NEEDS, AND CHOICES ..............................................................................54
MAKING RESOURCES ACCESSIBLE ................................................................................55
The Role of Media and Technology Professionals .....................................................55
Vital Components for Resource Access and Delivery .................................................55
PLANNING AND DESIGNING FACILITIES FOR LEARNING .................................................58
People and Responsibilities ...................................................................................58
Overall Facility Design: Basic Considerations ...........................................................60
Important Elements of Good Design .......................................................................61
Access .................................................................................................................62
Location ..............................................................................................................62
Exceptional Children Facilities ...............................................................................63
Aesthetics and Atmosphere ...................................................................................64
Ergonomics ..........................................................................................................64
Mechanics and Engineering ...................................................................................65
Safety ..................................................................................................................66
Security ...............................................................................................................66
Design Considerations for Spaces within the Facility ................................................67
Designing for Growth and Development ...................................................................68
Designing for the Infusion of Technology .................................................................68
Designing for Expanded Hours and Use ..................................................................68
Designing for Flexible Use .....................................................................................68
DEVELOPING EDUCATIONAL SPECIFICATIONS ................................................................69
Details Matter ......................................................................................................69
Four Preliminary Steps ..........................................................................................69
Components of Educational Specifications ..............................................................71
EDUCATIONAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR SCHOOL AND MEDIA/TECHNOLOGY SPACES ..........72
Classrooms ...........................................................................................................73
Flexibly Accessed Computer Labs .........................................................................75
Distance Learning via the N.C. Information Highway ...............................................76
Staff Offices ........................................................................................................77
Technology Administration and Planning .................................................................78
Conference Areas .................................................................................................79
Workrooms ..........................................................................................................80
Auditoriums, Cafeterias, and Gymnasiums .............................................................81
TABLE OF CONTENTS iii
EDUCATIONAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA CENTER ..................82
Visualizing Use of Space ......................................................................................82
Some Key Design Questions .................................................................................82
Charts of Recommendations .................................................................................82
Minimum Square Footage .....................................................................................83
Large Group Instruction .......................................................................................85
Reference ...........................................................................................................86
Story Sharing ......................................................................................................87
Independent Work Areas .......................................................................................88
Small Group Activity ............................................................................................88
Informal Reading .................................................................................................89
Production ..........................................................................................................90
Periodical Storage ................................................................................................91
Administration and Planning .................................................................................92
Circulation ..........................................................................................................93
Automated Catalog ..............................................................................................94
Professional Area .................................................................................................95
Parent Resource Area ...........................................................................................96
Workroom ...........................................................................................................97
Display and Exhibit ..............................................................................................98
Secure Equipment Storage, Distribution, and Maintenance .....................................98
EDUCATIONAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR FURNITURE, SHELVING, AND BUILT-INS ................99
General Considerations .........................................................................................99
Guidelines for Shelving .......................................................................................100
Maximum Heights for Different Types of Furniture and Shelving .............................101
More Helpful Tips about Furniture and Shelving ...................................................102
GENERAL TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR INSTRUCTION .....................................104
Network Server, Head-end Area ...........................................................................104
Video Wiring Closet Area ......................................................................................104
WORKS CITED ..............................................................................................................105
iv IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION
PLANNING THE PROGRAM ............................................................................................107
Why Plan? ..........................................................................................................107
Vision: the Key to Success ..................................................................................108
Short-term and Long-term Planning .....................................................................108
BEING THE CHANGE AGENT .........................................................................................109
Advocating for the Program ..................................................................................110
MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP
AND RESPONSIBILITIES ...............................................................................................116
BUDGETING FOR THE PROGRAM ..................................................................................118
Some Facts about Budget and Funding ................................................................118
Developing an Effective Budget ...........................................................................118
Primary Sources of Funding ................................................................................121
Other Sources of Funding ...................................................................................121
Writing Budget Proposals ....................................................................................122
POLICY ........................................................................................................................123
Policy and Procedure Defined ...............................................................................123
Creating Policy and Procedure Manuals .................................................................125
Components of a Policy Document ........................................................................126
Components of a Procedure Document .................................................................127
Policy, Procedures, and Guidelines Implementation Chart .......................................128
COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT ........................................................................................129
Vision .................................................................................................................129
Role of the MTAC in Collection Development .........................................................129
Role of the School Library Media Coordinator ........................................................130
Role of the Technology Facilitator .........................................................................130
Assessing the Collection ......................................................................................131
Assessing the Collection: Methods ........................................................................132
Assessing the Collection: Collection Mapping .........................................................133
Assessing the Collection: Resource Alignment ........................................................135
Assessing the Collection: Systematic Random Sampling .........................................136
Automated Assessments ......................................................................................137
Weeding the Collection ........................................................................................139
Guide to Weeding the Collection ...........................................................................141
Collecting Data ...................................................................................................143
The Non-print Collection ......................................................................................143
Writing a Collection Development Plan ..................................................................147
Developing a Budget ...........................................................................................148
TABLE OF CONTENTS v
Selecting Resources ............................................................................................149
Some Guiding Questions for Selecting Resources ...................................................149
Selecting Equipment, Hardware, and Infrastructure ................................................151
Conducting an Inventory ......................................................................................152
What is inventory? ...............................................................................................152
Why inventory? ....................................................................................................152
Guidelines for Scheduling Inventory ......................................................................152
School Equipment Inventory .................................................................................152
WORKS CITED ..............................................................................................................153
SYSTEM-LEVEL GUIDELINES
SYSTEM-LEVEL LEADERSHIP ........................................................................................157
TEACHING AND LEARNING ...........................................................................................159
Collaborating to Achieve Goals ............................................................................159
Being Involved with the Curriculum .....................................................................159
Providing Professional Development .....................................................................160
Planning, Research, and Development .................................................................160
INFORMATION ACCESS AND DELIVERY .........................................................................161
Establishing Infrastructure and Connectivity .........................................................161
Standardizing Resources and Equipment ..............................................................161
Planning for New and Renovated Facilities ...........................................................162
Ensuring Equity .................................................................................................162
Managing Resources ...........................................................................................162
PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION .......................................................................................163
Strengthening Communication and Public Relations ..............................................163
Establishing Policies and Procedures ...................................................................163
Recruiting, Selecting, and Retaining Personnel .....................................................164
Attending to Budget Basics .................................................................................164
Developing Collections ........................................................................................165
Evaluating Programs ...........................................................................................165
WORKS CITED ..............................................................................................................166
vi IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
RESEARCH AND EVALUATION
COMPELLING DATA FROM CURRENT RESEARCH ...........................................................167
RESEARCH ...................................................................................................................172
Scientifically Based Research ...............................................................................173
Action Research ..................................................................................................174
Data-Driven Decision Making in the Media and Technology Program ........................175
Measuring the Media and Technology Program .......................................................175
Using School Data for Program Decisions ..............................................................175
EVALUATION ................................................................................................................176
HOW TO EVALUATE PROGRAMS ....................................................................................177
Guidelines for Evaluation .....................................................................................178
USING OUTPUT MEASURES FOR EVALUATION ...............................................................179
REFERENCE CHART: MEASURES AND WHAT THEY SUPPORT .........................................183
RESEARCH AND EVALUATION MODELS ..........................................................................184
Comprehensive Program Evaluation Model .............................................................184
Technology Focused Evaluation Models .................................................................185
PROGRAM EVALUATION RUBRICS .................................................................................186
Media and Technology Program Evaluation Rubrics ................................................187
System-Level Leadership and Support Evaluation Rubrics .......................................197
WORKS CITED ..............................................................................................................205
TABLE OF CONTENTS vii
APPENDICES
APPENDICES TABLE OF CONTENTS .............................................................................207
AMTR Guidelines ................................................................................................209
Collaborative Planning Session Rubric ...................................................................213
How to Talk to a Principal ....................................................................................217
Guidelines for Baseline Information in Media and Technology Policies .....................219
Suggested Guidelines for the Reconsideration of Instructional Materials –
Sample Policy .....................................................................................................239
Job Descriptions ..................................................................................................245
Media and Technology Advisory Committee ............................................................265
One-to-One Computing ........................................................................................269
Media Coordinator Performance Appraisal Instrument .............................................271
Technology Facilitator Performance Appraisal Instrument ........................................275
Sample Schedules – Media and Technology ...........................................................279
School Library Media Coordinator without a Technology Facilitator ...........................287
Wireless Local Area Network ................................................................................289
GLOSSARY
GLOSSARY ..................................................................................................................293
BIBLIOGRAPHY
BIBLIOGRAPHY ...........................................................................................................303
viii IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION 1
INTRODUCTION
“TECHNOLOGY IGNITES OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEARNING, ENGAGES TODAY’S
STUDENTS AS ACTIVE LEARNERS AND PARTICIPANTS IN DECISION-MAKING
ON THEIR OWN EDUCATIONAL FUTURES AND PREPARES OUR NATION FOR
THE DEMANDS OF A GLOBAL SOCIETY IN THE 21ST CENTURY.”
Toward A New Golden Age In American Education: How the Internet, the Law, and Today’s
Students are Revolutionizing Expectation, National Education Technology Plan 2004, U.S.
Department of Education,
“THE CHALLENGE FACING AMERICA’S SCHOOLS IS THE EMPOWERMENT
OF ALL CHILDREN TO FUNCTION EFFECTIVELY IN THEIR FUTURE, A FUTURE
MARKED INCREASINGLY WITH CHANGE, INFORMATION GROWTH, AND
EVOLVING TECHNOLOGIES. TECHNOLOGY IS A POWERFUL TOOL WITH
ENORMOUS POTENTIAL FOR PAVING HIGH-SPEED HIGHWAYS, [MOVING THEM]
FROM OUTDATED EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS TO SYSTEMS CAPABLE OF
PROVIDING LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL, TO BETTER SERVE THE
NEEDS OF 21ST CENTURY WORK COMMUNICATIONS, LEARNING, AND LIFE.”
National Educational Technology Standards for Students, Connecting Curriculum and Technology,
International Society for Technology in Education, 2000.
2 IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
“INFORMATION LITERACY--THE ABILITY TO FIND AND USE INFORMATION--
IS THE KEYSTONE OF LIFELONG LEARNING. CREATING A FOUNDATION FOR
LIFELONG LEARNING IS AT THE HEART OF THE SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA
PROGRAM. JUST AS THE SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA CENTER HAS MOVED FAR
BEYOND A ROOM WITH BOOKS TO BECOME AN ACTIVE, TECHNOLOGY-RICH
LEARNING ENVIRONMENT WITH AN ARRAY OF INFORMATION RESOURCES,
THE SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA SPECIALIST TODAY FOCUSES ON THE PROCESS
OF LEARNING RATHER THAN DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION. THE LIBRARY
MEDIA PROGRAM COMBINES EFFECTIVE LEARNING AND TEACHING
STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES WITH INFORMATION ACCESS SKILLS.
INFORMATION AVAILABILITY WILL UNDOUBTEDLY CONTINUE TO MUSHROOM
INTO THE NEXT CENTURY, WHICH WILL MAKE A STRONG SCHOOL LIBRARY
MEDIA PROGRAM EVEN MORE ESSENTIAL TO HELP ITS USERS ACQUIRE
THE SKILLS THEY WILL NEED TO HARNESS AND USE INFORMATION FOR
A PRODUCTIVE AND FULFILLING LIFE.”
Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning, American Library Association,
Chicago, 1998.
Through the State Board of Education’s Strategic Plan for Excellent Schools, every
child has the opportunity to achieve at his or her highest potential in the fast-paced,
ever-changing environment of the 21st century. The rapid advance of technology
requires that all educators continually upgrade their skills, knowledge bases,
and perspectives.
Media and technology programs are an integral part of education. Collaboration
is the key. Teachers and media and technology personnel collaborate to create
a 21st century learning environment in which student learning is the focus. Students
simultaneously collaborate with each other and their teachers to learn how to solve
problems, complete real world tasks, and take charge of their own progress. The
added value of this collaborative, media and technology-enhanced environment
is thoughtful planning, differentiated instruction, and smaller class size.
IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs, released
in 2000, provided guidelines for school library media coordinators and technology
facilitators in North Carolina. The 2005 revision of the document updates information
in the original, continues to reflect national, state, and professional standards,
and adds a step-by-step guide to becoming an IMPACT school. It also provides
recommendations for programs, personnel, budgets, policies, resources, and facilities
that will guide media and technology programs as they support a resource-rich,
technology-rich learning environment.
IMPACT will help meet the information and technology challenge facing North Carolina
schools in the new millennium. As a result, media and technology programs will:
IMPACT TEACHING,
IMPACT LEARNING,
IMPACT MOTIVATION, AND
IMPACT STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.
INTRODUCTION 3
4 IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
IMPLEMENTING THE IMPACT MODEL
A How-to Guide
Dealing with the Change that the IMPACT Model
Will Bring
The Technology Facilitator Scenario
School Library Media Coordinator Scenario
Works Cited
IMPLEMENTING THE IMPACT MODEL: A HOW-TO GUIDE
Educators in schools interested in implementing the IMPACT Model always ask,
“What is the best way to begin?” While one school might decide to implement all
portions of the model simultaneously--hiring all the staff, implementing flexible access,
and initiating monthly grade-level collaborative planning sessions, others prefer a
phased-in model to help staff prepare for the change in school culture that will ensue.
The following guide offers strategies for implementing the IMPACT Model regardless
of the timeline that a school adopts. Please be aware, however, that all change is
difficult. Moving quickly and resolutely toward a new program may be less painful
than a drawn-out implementation.
PHASE 1: Building Support
The first step in implementing the IMPACT Model is creating an awareness of the
benefits of the model to students and teachers.
Administrative support is critical to implementing the model. The principal
should be an instructional leader who participates fully in the Media and
Technology Advisory Committee (MTAC).
Teachers and all stakeholders should be represented on the MTAC. Research
on the benefits of flexible scheduling can be shared with the MTAC whose members
will serve as advocates for the IMPACT Model within the school and community.
Parents and community members should be represented on the MTAC.
The school library media coordinator and technology facilitator should be active
participants in the School Improvement Team, ensuring that information and
technology skills are addressed within the school improvement plan.
A school wide planning retreat focusing on change, flexibility, and collaboration
provides the opportunity to share research on the IMPACT Model and address
initial concerns among the total staff.
The MTAC should communicate with educators in other schools in North Carolina
that have successfully implemented the IMPACT Model and learn from their
experiences.
IMPLEMENTING THE IMPACT MODEL 5
PHASE 2: Readiness Assessment
The second step in implementing the IMPACT Model is determining the readiness of your
school for successful implementation. Consider the following needs as you design this
assessment:
The school library media coordinator and technology facilitator, in collaboration
with the system-level technology director and system-level media director, should
review IMPACT guidelines and North Carolina Educational Technology Plan
recommendations for determining additional personnel.
The media coordinator and technology facilitator should conduct a needs assessment
for staff to determine their readiness to utilize technology and information in a
collaborative environment. This assessment may include technology application
skills, technology integration skills, flexible scheduling utilization, understanding
of collaborative teaching and learning, and how to ask open-ended questions.
Content area curriculum mapping/pacing guides should be reviewed and updated
for alignment to the Standard Course Of Study, relevance to current classroom
practice, and consistency across grade levels and subject areas.
The infrastructure should be evaluated for adequacy according to the standards
described in the North Carolina Educational Technology Plan.
Hardware access and software resources should be evaluated for adequacy and age
appropriateness according to North Carolina Educational Technology Plan standards.
The media collection should be evaluated through a collection analysis that maps
resources to the curriculum.
A long-term collection development plan should be created based on the collection
analysis. The collection should balance print and nonprint resources.
The media center schedule should be evaluated for its capacity to provide
point-of- need resources and services to students and staff. The master schedule
should be reviewed for options to create flexible access to media and technology
facilities and personnel.
The existing budget should be evaluated for the capacity to fund needs identified
in the readiness assessment. All potential external and internal sources of funding
should be identified in consultation with the system-level technology director, the
system-level media director, and the principal.
The MTAC should conduct a benchmark assessment of the media and technology
program using IMPACT rubrics.
PHASE 3: Setting the Stage for Successful Collaboration
The next step in implementing the IMPACT Model is to create a foundation for
collaborative planning that addresses needs identified in the readiness assessment.
The principal will attempt to meet personnel needs through re-assignment of
existing staff and recommendations to the superintendent for hiring additional staff.
With the support of the MTAC, the principal should articulate school-wide
expectations for collaboration. This may include a master planning calendar
based on curriculum mapping/pacing guides.
The principal will develop a schedule to provide flexible access to the school
library media coordinator and technology facilitator and facilities.
The media coordinator and technology facilitator will acquire print and non-print
resources based on the collection development plan.
6 IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
The media coordinator and technology facilitator will acquire adequate hardware/
software according to the recommendations of the North Carolina Educational
Technology Plan and the MTAC committee. These acquisitions should include
adaptive technologies for students with special needs.
The media coordinator and technology facilitator will offer professional development
on best practices in using technology and media resources to support student
achievement.
The system-level technology director will upgrade building infrastructure to meet
North Carolina Educational Technology Plan standards.
The media coordinator and technology facilitator, with the principal and teachers,
will analyze student data to identify school-wide student needs.
As members of the School Improvement Team, the media coordinator and
technology facilitator will identify goals for technology/information skills integration
in the School Improvement Plan.
The media coordinator and technology facilitator, with input from the MTAC,
will redesign the media center and classrooms to accommodate differentiation
of instructional activities with technology and flexible grouping.
PHASE 4: Formal Collaboration
The ultimate step in implementing the IMPACT model is creating collaborative planning
times. Using this time, the school library media coordinator, technology facilitator, and
classroom teachers collaboratively will:
Plan together to create and evaluate multidisciplinary units of instruction
integrating technology/information skills across the curriculum;
Design differentiated instructional activities to meet individual student needs;
Identify regular common planning time for team collaboration by grade level
and subject;
Assess student products emerging from collaboratively planned units of instruction
(New assessment tools and rubrics should be created as needed.);
Celebrate student achievement and recognize teachers for their successes;
Evaluate the outcomes of common planning times using a variety of methods
such as surveys, reflections, and plus/delta charts.
PHASE 5: Beyond the Classroom
Collaborative planning will expand the opportunities for integrating resources beyond
the classroom. The increased use of media and technology resources in instruction
makes it important to expand access to these resources beyond the traditional school
day and the traditional school community.
The school library media coordinator and technology facilitator will identify and
integrate outside resources into collaborative units of instruction. These resources
may include local, state, and national educational resources including print, digital,
and human resources.
The media coordinator and technology facilitator will work with partners to provide
after school programs for children, parents, and community members. (For example,
Computer Camps, Computer Clubs, Book Clubs, technology training for adults, family
technology and reading nights.) The media center and technology facilities may be
opened extended hours and staffed by educators who have negotiated flexible hours
with the administration, by separately hired staff, and/or by volunteers.
IMPLEMENTING THE IMPACT MODEL 7
ON-GOING: Evaluation
Implementation of the IMPACT Model may be evaluated by the MTAC using
the following guided reflection questions.
What impact does a supportive environment have on media and technology
access and use?
What impact do media, technology, and collaboration have on the total
school program?
What impact does communication have on the total school program?
What impact do research-based practices in technology, literacy, and
information skills have on student learning?
Does integration of technology/information skills throughout the curriculum
enhance student learning?
What areas of the curriculum can most effectively be enhanced with technology/
information skills?
Does the use of technology as a learning tool improve student achievement?
To what extent is data used in making decisions about hardware/software
allocations and selection of media resources?
To what extent are technology and media resources accessible to all students?
To what extent are technical support personnel provided and technical support
procedures implemented?
To what extent are technology and media resources accessible during and
beyond the school day?
To what extent has the school established and maintained an effective
communications system?
To what extent does the school support and promote collaboration?
To what extent are procedures used to monitor, evaluate, and review progress
of technology initiatives?
To what extent is effective professional development provided?
To what extent are student/curricular needs being fulfilled by identified
media and technology resources?
ORIENTATION FOR NEW STAFF AND ADMINISTRATORS:
The school must recruit and hire teachers who are receptive to the
IMPACT Model.
The MTAC will provide orientation for new staff and administrators
to the IMPACT Model.
8 IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
DEALING WITH THE CHANGE THAT THE IMPACT MODEL WILL BRING
“THE CONVICTION THAT LEARNING GOALS SHOULD BE FIXED AND TIME A
FLEXIBLE RESOURCE OPENS UP PROFOUND OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHANGE.”
(United States. Department of Education. “Prisoners of Time.”)
USING THE CONCERNS-BASED ADOPTION MODEL (CBAM) TO MOVE
TEACHERS FORWARD IN THE IMPACT MODEL
In order for the IMPACT Model to work in a school, it must have the support and under-standing
of classroom teachers. Teachers must understand the changes that will occur
in their classrooms and in their teaching as a result of this model. The administrative
and media and technology staff must support and nurture teachers through this change.
Supporting and nurturing means addressing teachers as individuals and understanding
their concerns about the changes they are or will be experiencing. According to the
CBAM model of change, individuals involved in change can be identified as one of the
following:
INNOVATOR: Approximately 8% or any group can be considered innovators.
These individuals are eager to try new ideas, are open to change, and are willing
to take risks.
LEADER: Approximately 17% of any group can be considered leaders. These
individuals are open to change, but more thoughtful about getting involved.
EARLY MAJORITY: Approximately 29% of any group can be considered as the early
majority. These individuals are cautious and deliberate about deciding to adopt an
innovation.
LATE MAJORITY: Approximately 29% of any group can be considered as the late
majority. These individuals can skeptical of adopting new ideas and are “set in
their ways.”
RESISTER: Approximately 17% of any group can be considered resisters. These
individuals are suspicious and generally opposed to new ideas. (Hord, S., et al, 1998.)
It is important to recognize that these identifiers are not meant to be negative or
positive, but rather they allow a change facilitator to recognize what is needed to move
an individual through the change process. For the IMPACT Model, this means being
able to recognize how a teacher approaches a change to classroom practice and working
with each individual to better utilize the model.
Once the school library media coordinator, technology facilitator, and/or administrator
have identified each teacher’s adopter level, they should identify Stages of Concern.
The Stages of Concern help to identify how a person feels and thinks about a given
initiative. In the implementation of the IMPACT Model, teachers will move through
the stages as they become more comfortable with the collaborative process and the
IMPACT culture.
” IMPLEMENTING THE IMPACT MODEL 9
“CHANGE:
is a PROCESS,
not an event
is made by
INDIVIDUALS
first, then
institutions
is a highly
PERSONAL
experience
entails
DEVELOPMENTAL
growth in
feelings and
skills
(Hord, S., et al, 1998.)
STAGES OF CONCERN
0. AWARENESS: The individual either isn’t aware of the change being proposed
or doesn’t want to learn it.
1. INFORMATIONAL: The individual has heard of the program, but needs more
information.
2. PERSONAL: The individual’s main concern is how this program will affect
them on a personal level.
3. MANAGEMENT: The individual’s main concern is about the management,
scheduling, etc., of a specific program.
4. CONSEQUENCE: The individual’s primary concern is how the program will
affect students or how they can make the program work for their students.
5. COLLABORATION: The individual’s primary concern is how to make the
program work better by actively working on it with colleagues.
6. REFOCUSING: The individual’s primary concern is seeking out a new and
better change to implement.
When the media coordinator, technology facilitator, and/or administrator have identified
each teacher’s Stage of Concern, they can more easily communicate the needs of both
the teacher and the program. Teachers in the early stages of concern will need more
one-on-one assistance and encouragement than those in the later stages.
10 IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
WHAT TEACHERS MUST BE WILLING TO DO
When teachers understand that a change will take place, they will need to be completely
aware of what implementing the IMPACT Model will mean to their classroom and their
teaching practice.
TEACHERS MUST BE WILLING TO:
BE FLEXIBLE
Take risks
Try new things
Step out of the box
ASSESS STUDENT NEEDS
Analyze test scores
Understand individual learning styles
Survey individual interests
INITIATE COLLABORATION
Brainstorm ways the collaboration process can work for them and their students
Share ideas with school library media coordinator/technology facilitator and
other teachers
Begin the collaboration process
Evaluate project successes
FAIL
Technology doesn’t always work
Students don’t always work well collaboratively
The “best” lesson plan doesn’t always work out the way you planned
ASK FOR HELP
Students
Teachers
School library media coordinator
Technology facilitator
CELEBRATE SUCCESSES
Tell other teachers what is working well
Share with school library media coordinator and technology facilitator
Share with other schools
Share at conferences
USE: Web sites, bulletin boards, newsletters, displays, sharing lessons,
press releases, system-level collaboration fairs, school-wide activities
(Poetry Day, Technology Night), etc.
IMPLEMENTING THE IMPACT MODEL 11
CHANGE ROLES
Move from being the “sage on the stage” or “guide on the side” to the
“mentor in the center”
Facilitate the learning process
Allow students to begin taking responsibility for their own learning
Become a team member
Become a life-long learner
12 IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
THE TECHNOLOGY FACILITATOR SCENARIO
“THE IMPORTANT ISSUE IN EFFECTIVENESS FOR LEARNING IS NOT THE
SOPHISTICATION OF THE TECHNOLOGIES, BUT THE WAYS IN WHICH THEIR
CAPABILITIES AID AND MOTIVATE USERS”
(Dede, C., 2001).
Innovation Middle School is wired. Every classroom has three multimedia, Internet
accessible computers, an LCD projector, a Digital Interactive Whiteboard, a DVD player,
and curriculum appropriate hardware and software. Networked printers are located
on every hall, and each grade, 6th, 7th, and 8th, has a mobile computer lab. For
Mrs. Ray, the technology facilitator, a wired school means a very busy schedule.
Mrs. Ray has worked at Innovation Middle School for many years. Through her
experience and education, she has gained and applied many insights about technology
and the job of teaching.
Mrs. Ray knows that technology brings new resources into the classroom (Bajcsy, 2002).
For instance, this is the first year that Mr. Price has participated in the Global Lab
project with his eighth grade 1st period science class. Global Lab students around
the world create environmental profiles of their school. Students measure parameters
such as light intensity, carbon dioxide concentrations, air and soil temperature, and
soil moisture, then compile their data and exchange it with other schools across the
globe. Through the global lab project, Mr. Price’s students have information that
has not been available to his students in previous years. With observations available
from other students in diverse environments, his students make comparisons of their
environmental profile with profiles of other environments to make hypotheses and
observations. This morning Mrs. Ray works with Mr. Price and his students organizing
the data from the various environments in a database. While Mrs. Ray works with
students on creating a database, Mr. Price will work with students on organizing
and synthesizing the information in appropriate searchable fields and records.
Mrs. Ray also knows that with technology, teachers are able to develop new forms of
instruction (Means, 2000). Last summer, the Innovation Middle School Social Studies
team, developed lessons and an accompanying selection of online resources and
software, of texts, photographs, audio and video content. This morning in Mrs. Foust’s
second period social studies class, students are using the resources to create multimedia
reports instead of the traditional written reports on Asian history and culture. The group
assigned to explore the economy of China, uniquely explore the ties between the
American economy and China’s economy and working conditions in their multimedia
report titled Made in China. Students use photographs and voiceovers to explain the
implications of importing products from China to the United States. This morning Mrs.
Ray and Mrs. Powder, the school library media coordinator, are working with the students
on their projects. Mrs. Powder is instructing students on how to correctly cite sources
for multimedia and online resources. Mrs. Ray is helping students incorporate multime-dia
sources into their presentations correctly. Mrs. Foust comments that using the multi-media
resources gives greater content and depth to instruction and student assignments.
Discussions with many teachers confirm something else Mrs. Ray already knows.
Technology motivates student learning. Teachers suggest that technology motivates
students, because it creates an environment that involves students more directly than
traditional teaching tools (Schacter, 1999). Before Mrs. Ray heads to the sixth grade
team weekly planning meeting, she stops by Mrs. Brown’s 8th grade language arts class.
IMPLEMENTING THE IMPACT MODEL 13
Since Mrs. Brown replaced journal writing on required reading assignments with
Weblogs, her students’ writing has increased dramatically. Students are so involved
in writing and reading Weblog entries that they all scramble to get on the computers
before lunch. Because students are posting their responses online where every other
student can read the entry, students are reading the young adult literature thoroughly
and are posting more in-depth observations about what they are reading. Mrs. Brown
is ecstatic. Not only are students more engaged in the literature, but they are also
taking responsibility for their own learning.
After lunch Mrs. Ray heads for Mr. Mulroney’s room. Technology has been extremely
helpful in individualizing instruction for students, many of whom are served in excep-tional
classrooms (Lou, 2001). While Mr. Mulroney believes that technology helps
adapt instruction to student learning styles, he does not believe in isolated learning.
In Mr. Mulroney’s class, students are learning about volcanoes together through a
variety of activities. Mark and Adam are building a model volcano from everyday
kitchen products. Mary is using simulation software to simulate a volcanic eruption
by combining different gases with magma and rock. Linda and James are creating a
Hyperstudio stack on Mount St. Helen’s in Washington. Mr. Mulroney asked Mrs. Ray
to join the class this afternoon as students’ work on their different projects.
As students are leaving school, Mrs. Ray is setting up for professional development.
Mrs. Ray knows that effective use of instructional technology is dependent on the
teacher (Grove, Strudler, and Odell, 2004). Teachers must be confident in applying
technology when and where appropriate. To maintain their technology competency
in a fast-paced environment, professional development has becomes a high priority
for teachers. Today, Mrs. Ray is teaching sixth grade teachers about handhelds.
Before Mrs. Ray leaves for the day, she checks the next day’s schedule. She notes
that tomorrow Mrs. Caison, the music teacher, is using midi software in music
appreciation class . . .
For online video examples of technology facilitator scenarios visit the following Web site:
14 IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA COORDINATOR SCENARIO
INFORMATION LITERACY IS A TRANSFORMATIONAL PROCESS IN WHICH THE LEARNER
EVALUATES AND USES INFORMATION IN ITS VARIOUS FORMS FOR PERSONAL, SOCIAL,
AND PROFESSIONAL PURSUITS
(paraphrased from Abilock, 2004).
It is 7:00 a.m. – just another day in the Innovation school media center. Students
cluster in the foyer waiting for the library doors to open. The library is always used
heavily before the school day begins. Some students will come to the media center to
work on class assignments. Others will check out books. Teachers stop by to schedule
a class in the media center for a project. At 8:00 a.m., the first bell rings and the
media center empties while students flock to homeroom class.
Mr. Reynold’s seventh grade math class is the first class of the day for Mrs. Wright,
the school library media coordinator. Geometry is always a favorite part of the math
curriculum in seventh grade because students never tire of constructing shapes and
figures. Today, students are exploring an engineering geometric wonder of the world,
domes. Mrs. Wright is excited today to share some of the books in the media center
on the design and construction of structures. Some of Mrs. Wright’s favorites are
Building Big by David Macaulay, Experiment! Spiderwebs to Skyscrapers: The Science
of Structures by David Darling, and Eyewitness Books: Force & Motion by Peter Lafferty.
After Mr. Reynold’s class leaves, Mrs. Wright checks on a couple of eighth grade boys
who are investigating the various estuaries in North Carolina. Their assignment is to
locate an estuary to visit on a field trip. Mrs. Rowland, the media assistant, helps the
boys do a search on the Internet on estuaries in North Carolina. So far the boys have
information on the Neuse River, the Albemarle, and the Pamlico River Estuary. Mrs.
Wright directs the eighth grade boys to resources in the reference collection. Several
books on North Carolina can aid their decision. Notably, The Nature of North Carolina’s
Southern Coast: Barrier Islands, Coastal Waters and Wetlands by Dirk Frankenberg
describes several estuaries of interest.
The Lunchtime Book Club meets today. Students who join the club bring their lunch
to the library and discuss a book that they are reading. Currently, they are reading
The DoubleLife of Zoe Flynn by Janet Lee Carey about a girl who hides the fact from
her classmates that her family lives in a van. Mrs. Wright has several book clubs to meet
the varied interests of students. Her personal favorite is the sports heroes book club she
jointly coordinates with Mr. Reynolds. When reading is connected to real-world contexts
and personal interest students are more motivated to read (Ivey and Broaddus, 2001).
After lunch Mrs. Wright meets with the sixth grade collaborative planning team for the
afternoon. Each year the sixth grade teachers focus the instructional program around a
central theme. This year the theme is cities. The team has already decided the theme
for next year will be detectives. Today, they want to pinpoint resources and plan ideas
for integrating the theme with the SCOS. Mrs. Wright is excited. The detective/mystery
genre of young adult literature is always a favorite with middle grade students. Today
she suggests to Mrs. Johnson, the language arts teacher, Wolf Rider by Avi and Getting
Lincoln’s Goat by E. M. Goldman as literature for next year.
IMPLEMENTING THE IMPACT MODEL 15
Mrs. Wright also thinks the history detectives Web site (http://www.pbs.org/opb/
history detectives/index.html) will be the perfect fit for the social studies curriculum.
During the planning meeting she shows this Web site to Mr. Carter, the sixth grade
social studies teacher while Mr. Grady, the science teacher and Mr. Brown, the math
teacher discuss some ideas for integrating math and science with a detective theme.
Mrs. Wright has appreciated the insight that a theme-based approach has brought to
the sixth grade teachers. The sixth grade teachers recognize that their role as the
content specialist combined with the media specialist’s role as resource specialist
has helped build a stronger, more dynamic instructional program (Russell, 2002).
Theoretically, every unit of instruction in any subject curriculum has an opportunity
for a problem- or inquiry-based learning component that requires data, information,
and knowledge (Georges, 2004, p. 34). For Mrs. Wright, her role within the educational
institution is clear. It is her responsibility to seize every opportunity, to provide her
colleagues with instructional activities, and to create a collaborative atmosphere that
fosters information literacy.
For online video examples of school library media coordinator scenarios visit the
following Web site:
16 IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
WORKS CITED
Abilock, D. “Information Literacy from Prehistory to K-20: A New Definition.”
Knowledge Quest 32.4 (2004): 9-11.
Bajcsy, R. “Technology and Learning.” Visions 2020: Transforming Education and
Training through Advanced Technologies. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of
Commerce, 2002.
Dede, C. “Vignettes about the future of Learning Technologies.” Visions 2020:
Transforming Education and Training through Advanced Technologies. Washington, DC:
U.S. Department of Commerce, 2002.
Georges, F. “Information Literacy, Collaboration, and ‘Killer Apps’: New Challenges
for Media Specialists.” Library Media Connection 23.2 (2004): 34-35.
Grove, K., N. Strudler, and S. Odell. “Mentoring Toward Technology Use: Cooperating
Teacher Practice in Supporting Student Teachers.” Journal of Research on Technology
in Education 37 (2004): 85-109.
Hord, S., W. Rutherford, L. Huling-Austin, and G. Hall. Taking Charge of Change.
Austin, TX: Southwest Educational Development Laboratory, 1998.
Ivey, G. and K. Broaddus. “Just Plain Reading: A Survey of What Makes Students
Want to Read in Middle School Classrooms.” Reading Research Quarterly 3. 4 (2001):
350-377.
Lou, Y., et al. “Small Group and Individual Learning with Technology: A Meta-Analysis.”
Review of Educational Research 71. 3 (2001): 449-521.
Means, B. “Accountability in Preparing Teachers to Use Technology.” 2000 State
Educational Technology Conference Papers. Washington, DC: Council of Chief State
School Officers, 2000.
Schacter, J. The Impact of Education Technology on Student Achievement: What the
Most Current Research Has to Say. Milken Exchange on Education Technology, 1999
.
United States. Department of Education. “Prisoners of Time.” National Education
Commission on Time and Learning. Apr. 1994
.
IMPLEMENTING THE IMPACT MODEL 17
18 IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
TEACHING AND LEARNING
Vision
Collaboration
Integration of Information and Technology Skills
Access to Information Resources and Services
Collaboration for Assessment, Research, and Student
Achievement
Professional Development
Collaboration through Flexible Access
Flexible Access Looks Like This
Collaborating to Achieve Instructional Goals
Leadership and the Change Process
Making Flexible Access and Collaboration Work
Roles and Responsibilities of Collaborative Partners
Implementing Effective Collaborative Planning Sessions
Advocacy: Communicating Flexible Access and Collaboration
Reading and Literacy
Collaboration: Media and Technology, Reading, and Literacy
Reading Programs or Reading?
TEACHING AND LEARNING
VISION
School library media and technology programs should focus on student achievement
and involve the entire staff in collaboratively planning instructional programs that
are authentic and engaging, enriched by high-quality resources, current technologies,
and effective models of integration. A learner-centered approach to instruction
focuses attention on media and technology programs as vital instructional forces
that complement, support, and expand classroom learning. The ongoing assessment
of media and technology programs is the responsibility of teachers and administrators
working together with media and technology professionals. An effective media and
technology program supports the teaching and learning community through data-driven
collaboration, literacy, integration of technology and information skills with the total
curriculum, resources, staff development, and assessment.
COLLABORATION
“CREATING THE CONTEXT OF A COLLABORATIVE CULTURE REQUIRES MORE THAN
ENCOURAGING EDUCATORS TO WORK TOGETHER. THE TRADITION OF TEACHER ISOLATION
IS TOO DEEP TO BE UPROOTED SIMPLY BY OFFERING OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLEGIAL
ENDEAVORS. COLLABORATION BY INVITATION NEVER WORKS. LEADERS WHO FUNCTION AS
STAFF DEVELOPMENT LEADERS EMBED COLLABORATION IN THE STRUCTURE AND CULTURE
OF THEIR SCHOOLS. TEACHERS’ WORK IS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO ENSURE THAT EVERY
STAFF MEMBER IS A CONTRIBUTING MEMBER OF A COLLABORATIVE TEAM. CREATING AN
APPROPRIATE STRUCTURE FOR TEACHER COLLABORATION IS VITALLY IMPORTANT, BUT
ALSO INSUFFICIENT. LEADERS MUST DO MORE THAN ORGANIZE TEACHER TEAMS AND
HOPE FOR THE BEST. THEY MUST PROVIDE THE FOCUS, PARAMETERS, AND SUPPORT
TO HELP TEAMS FUNCTION EFFECTIVELY”
(“Designing Powerful Professional Development,” 2005).
Collaboration should be evident in all areas of the school environment as well as at the
system, regional, and state levels. Within the school, the school library media coordinator
and the technology facilitator work closely with teachers, administrators, students, and
support personnel. All of these people must be involved in the planning, implementation,
and evaluation of an instructional program integrated with media and technology.
For more information refer to the section on Collaboration Through Flexible Access.
TEACHING AND LEARNING 19
INTEGRATION OF INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY SKILLS
“TODAY’S STUDENT LIVES AND LEARNS IN A WORLD THAT HAS BEEN RADICALLY ALTERED
BY THE READY AVAILABILITY OF VAST STORES OF INFORMATION IN A VARIETY OF FORMATS.
THE LEARNING PROCESS AND THE INFORMATION SEARCH PROCESS MIRROR EACH OTHER:
STUDENTS ACTIVELY SEEK TO CONSTRUCT MEANING FROM THE SOURCES THEY ENCOUNTER
AND TO CREATE PRODUCTS THAT SHAPE AND COMMUNICATE THAT MEANING EFFECTIVELY.
DEVELOPING EXPERTISE IN ACCESSING, EVALUATING, AND USING INFORMATION IS IN
FACT THE AUTHENTIC LEARNING THAT MODERN EDUCATION SEEKS TO PROMOTE”
(NC Information Skills Curriculum Philosophy, 1999).
The school library media coordinator and technology facilitator play an integral role
in teaching students how to access, evaluate, and use information. They also support
students in being able to choose the most appropriate tool for collecting information
in multiple formats and then organizing, linking, evaluating, and through synthesis,
discovering how to present the information. “An array of tools for acquiring information
and for thinking and expression allows more students more ways to enter the learning
enterprise successfully and to live productive lives in the global, digital, and information-based
future they all face” (Philosophy: North Carolina Standard Course of Study, 2004).
These skills are embedded throughout the Information and Computer/Technology Skills
curricula and are essential to teaching and learning. It is vital that these skills are fully
integrated across the curriculum.
To integrate these skills seamlessly across the curriculum, the media coordinator
and technology facilitator need to “provide strong and creative leadership in building
and nurturing the culture of learning, both as a teacher and as an instructional
partner” (AASL and AECT, 1998). As teachers, the school library media coordinator
and technology facilitator will need to “use both traditional materials and innovative
resources” (AASL and AECT, 1998) to provide meaningful instruction. This can
be achieved through instruction in a full range of information concepts and
strategies, so that students will have the skills needed to interact effectively with
all information resources.
A research process is one of the types of innovative resources that can be used
whenever students are in a situation, academic or personal, that requires information
to solve a problem, make a decision, or complete a task. A systematic research model
such as the Big Six provides an information problem-solving process, and a set of skills
that provide a strategy for effectively and efficiently meeting information needs.
It is important to remember that the integration of information and computer/
technology skills across the curriculum does not take place in isolation, but occurs
through collaborative planning. The involvement of media and technology professionals
in all aspects of curriculum implementation is fundamental to collaboration.
20 IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
BEING INVOLVED WITH THE CURRICULUM TO ACHIEVE INSTRUCTIONAL GOALS MEANS:
Developing a thorough knowledge of the North Carolina Standard Course
of Study for all subject areas and grade levels within the school
;
Working with teachers to integrate media and technology into instruction across
all subject areas and grade levels (See scenarios for school library media coordinator
and technology facilitator in Implementing the IMPACT Model);
Serving on the School Improvement Team;
Working on subject area and grade level teams and committees at the building,
system, and state level;
Taking leadership roles on the Media and Technology Advisory Committee;
Analyzing the School Improvement Plan for areas of instructional focus;
Reflecting the School Improvement Plan in instruction and in the acquisition
of resources;
Analyzing test data with teachers to improve instructional focus;
Participating in grade level/departmental meetings;
Recommending appropriate information and technology resources to support
information and computer/technology skills, and critical thinking throughout
the curriculum;
Collaborating with teachers, staff, and other members of the learning community
to integrate information literacy competencies throughout the teaching and learning
process;
Developing a deep understanding of the information and computer/technology
skills for student learning and of the specific relationship between the skill and
the curricular goals of the school and system (AASL and AECT, 1998);
Developing and promoting specific plans for incorporating the information literacy
standards for student learning into day-to-day curricular and instructional activities
(AASL and AECT, 1998);
Collaborating regularly with teachers and other members of the learning community
to encourage students to become information literate, independent in their learning,
and socially responsible in their use of information and information technology
(AASL and AECT, 1998).
RESEARCH MODEL RESOURCES
THE BIG SIX OR THE SUPER THREE
FLIP-IT
FOLLETT’S INFORMATION SKILLS MODEL
JAMIE MCKENZIE’S RESEARCH CYCLE
TEACHING AND LEARNING 21
ACCESS TO INFORMATION RESOURCES AND SERVICES
IN THE TEACHING/LEARNING PROCESS
The media and technology program provides intellectual and physical access to a full
range of information and services for a community of learners and serves as a model
for responsible and creative information use. The school library media coordinator
and the technology facilitator collaborate with the school community to play an even
more important role as the quantity of information continues to grow. They guide
and promote a student-centered program; provide flexible and equitable access to
information for learning; and use the North Carolina Standard Course of Study to
help all students “construct meaning from the sources they encounter and to create
products that shape and communicate that meaning effectively” (NC Information
Skills Curriculum Philosophy, 1999).
It is critical for students to have the ability to process and create understanding from
all types of media in our exploding world of information. Real research and questioning
can become lifelong tools to encourage independent thinking and to guide classroom
inquiry at any time students are engaged in reading, viewing, or listening activities.
ENSURING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO INFORMATION MEANS:
Providing accurate, up-to-date, and developmentally appropriate print, non-print,
and technology resources that meet the curriculum-related and data-driven needs
of students and teachers;
Providing meaningful instruction in the full range of information concepts and
strategies that students need to interact effectively with all information resources;
Supporting intellectual freedom and students’ right to read.
Providing flexible access to media and technology resources, staff, and facilities
throughout the day;
Providing adequate staffing for the media center and computer labs before, during,
and after school for use by students, teachers, and members of the community;
Providing technologies (such as laptops, portable text devices, and digital cameras)
for individual, small group, classroom, and offsite use;
Purchasing software and assistive/adaptive hardware (such as speech synthesis
software, voice input technologies, and touch screens) that provide access to all
media and technology for students and teachers with special needs;
Providing large screen monitors or data/video projection devices for whole
class instruction.
22 IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs ”
““FLEXIBLE,
EQUITABLE, AND
FAR-REACHING
ACCESS . . .
IS ESSENTIAL TO
THE DEVELOPMENT
OF A VIBRANT,
ACTIVE LEARNING
COMMUNITY”
(AASL and AECT, 1998).
COLLABORATION FOR ASSESSMENT, RESEARCH, AND
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
Effective collaboration, clear instructional goals, the use of data, and continual
feedback impact achievement in a powerful way. The school library media coordinator
and the technology facilitator collaborate with teachers in the assessment of student
performance in many ways. Grade-level or subject area teams of teachers, along with
the school library media coordinator and the technology facilitator, meet routinely to
identify instructional strengths and weaknesses, analyze scores and other assessments,
and develop strategies to address the instructional needs of students. This process
is ongoing and involves continual examination of teaching practices and learning
opportunities as a means of becoming more effective. In this context, assessment
can be seen as part of the teaching and learning process as opposed to being a
separate task.
Collaboration to assess student learning should be evident in all areas of the school
environment, with the school library media coordinator and the technology facilitator
working closely with teachers, administrators, students, and support personnel. All
must be involved in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of an instructional
program integrated with media and technology.
School library media coordinators and technology facilitators are knowledgeable about
research and best practices and skilled in applying the findings to a variety of situations.
Media and technology programs can have a tremendous impact on student achievement
if they follow the direction provided by research and best practice, and then apply it
to ongoing assessment. In short, effective media and technology programs routinely
consult the research, see where it fits and how it applies, and then study the effects
so that necessary adjustments to the teaching and learning process can be made.
REFLECTION
Reflection is an important part of the educational process. Taking time to revisit
daily practice by asking the following questions allows educators the opportunity to
collaboratively and systematically assess teaching and learning practices, extract the
best strategies, and make refinements that ultimately lead to higher student achievement.
How did the use of technology influence student achievement and increase
motivation?
How many opportunities were offered for critical thinking and problem solving?
Did students use technology to solve real-life problems?
Did students engage in meaningful, relevant conversation?
Did students learn with one another through collaborative work and group problem
solving?
Did students have time to form opinions, debate, persuade, discover new
concepts, and make decisions?
Did students exercise choice at any point in the activity?
Did students engage in reflective debriefing and answer questions such as,
“What happened?” “What made you think that?” “What would you change?”
TEACHING AND LEARNING 23
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Quality professional development provides educators with the knowledge and skills to
build powerful collaborative teams and provide the interpersonal support and synergy
necessary for creatively addressing complex teaching and learning issues.
According to the North Carolina Office of Professional Development, professional devel-opment
leaders “must:
1. Provide time for collaboration in the school day and school year.
2. Identify critical questions to guide the work of collaborative teams.
3. Ask teams to create products as a result of their collaboration.
4. Insist that teams identify and pursue specific student achievement goals.
5. Provide teams with relevant data and information”
(“Designing Powerful Professional Development,” 2005).
The school library media coordinator and technology facilitator play an important role in
the planning and implementation of professional development that helps define and
achieve standards of excellence to ensure the success of every student. Teachers need
the skills, knowledge, time, and autonomy to decide what professional development they
need. The media coordinator and technology facilitator must work with building- and
system-level administrators to ensure that the professional development provided in their
school is based on needs assessment and data collection.
Media and technology personnel need to have an understanding of the school culture to
build a learning community within the school that encourages continuous learning.
Teachers should be rewarded for and encouraged to take risks, and be given the opportu-nity
to learn and share together. Effective professional development experiences provide
opportunities for teachers to build their knowledge and skills and broaden their teaching
approaches, so they can create better learning opportunities for students. Media coordi-nators
and technology facilitators acquire a school-wide perspective of professional devel-opment
needs as they plan collaboratively with teachers. This school-wide perspective
enables them to make decisions about appropriate data-driven professional development
and to acquire the resources to design it.
Media and technology professionals must encourage a data-driven process to determine
what professional development to provide, implement their process, and evaluate its
impact on student learning. This will ensure that teachers receive the quality professional
development they need so that all students can be successful.
In order to be effective, professional development must be assessed on a regular basis so
that improvements can be made. This will help to guarantee a positive impact on teach-er
effectiveness and student learning. Evaluation to determine the overall effectiveness
of a professional development program must be built in during the initial planning stage.
The collection of formative and summative assessment data should occur across the pro-fessional
development program. Formative assessments are conducted throughout the
professional development program, and summative evaluation occurs at the conclusion of
the program. Summative evaluation “should be collected at three levels: educator prac-tices,
organizational changes, and student outcomes” (“Designing Powerful Professional
Development,” 2005).
24 IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY PROFESSIONALS
The school library media coordinator and the technology facilitator are aware of the need
for appropriate professional development. They expect to continue learning throughout
their teaching career and to be able to improve their practice significantly through a vari-ety
of learning opportunities. Professional development must be provided for media and
technology personnel through local, state, and national opportunities. Professional devel-opment
not only benefits the individual in shaping his or her profession, but also helps
to ensure that best practice is everyday practice and that the most effective approaches
are used.
ASSESSING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT NEEDS MEANS:
Using formal assessment tools to determine professional development needs.
Prioritizing professional development opportunities based on needs assessment.
Evaluating the effectiveness of professional development efforts at regular intervals.
Using student test data in determining professional development.
Effective professional development is based on theory, research, and proven practice.
No Child Left Behind calls for professional development that:
is sustained, intensive, and classroom-focused,
is grounded on scientifically-based research,
is aligned with state content standards and assessments,
gives teachers of limited English proficient (LEP) students the knowledge and skills
necessary to teach them,
provides preparation in the appropriate use of curricula and assessments,
instructs in methods of teaching children with special needs,
is developed with extensive participation of teachers and principals, and
is regularly evaluated for impact on increased teacher effectiveness and improved
student academic achievement (NSDC Standards for Staff Development, 2001).
PLANNING HIGH QUALITY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MEANS:
Participating in regularly scheduled system-level, regional, and state meetings,
and sharing information with school staff;
Attending state, regional, and national conferences to report back on professional
development initiatives and trends;
Serving on professional development committees at the school and system levels.
Involving principals, teachers, and paraprofessionals in the planning of professional
development;
Assessing needs of administrators, teachers, and paraprofessionals for targeted
professional development;
Reflecting licensure requirements, ABC goals and objectives, and school
improvement goals in the school professional development plan -
;
TEACHING AND LEARNING 25
Providing a variety of professional development including online opportunities
that integrate media and technology into all curriculum areas;
Aligning professional development to the North Carolina Professional Development
Standards - ;
Aligning professional development to the National Educational Technology Standards
for Teachers - ;
Using research-based models for professional development.
ENSURING HIGH QUALITY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MEANS:
Planning professional development that is aligned with building- and system-level
goals and promotes evaluation and follow-up.
Reflecting current research on teaching and learning.
Respecting and drawing from the knowledge and experience of teachers,
administrators, and paraprofessionals.
Providing a variety of professional development opportunities (such as just-in-time,
small-group, large-group, North Carolina Information Highway (NCIH), and online).
Providing that professional development is relevant to the classroom setting and
reflective of test data.
Providing professional development that gives teachers the knowledge and skills
necessary to work with all students.
Providing time for professional development design, and implementation.
Providing professional development for instructional leaders in data analysis,
collective inquiry, and collaborative planning.
Providing professional development that includes processes for formative and
summative assessment.
Creating an ongoing calendar of professional development opportunities tailored
to meet assessed professional development needs.
Providing time to learn, practice, and incorporate new skills into instruction.
Providing resources to support teachers as they implement new strategies in their
classrooms.
Providing follow-up through re-teaching, one-on-one tutoring, troubleshooting,
modeling, and other forms of support.
Evaluating professional development efforts on a continuing basis to ensure they
are meeting the needs of teachers and staff.
Providing the opportunity for self-assessment of needs and interests by teachers
prior to setting goals for professional growth.
26 IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
THE NATIONAL STAFF DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL STANDARDS
The National Staff Development Council (NSDC) issued standards for high quality
professional development which state that professional development:
should organize adults into learning communities whose goals are aligned with
those of the school and district;
requires skillful school and district leaders who guide continuous instructional
improvement;
requires resources, including time, to support adult learning and collaboration;
should use disaggregated student data to determine adult learning priorities,
monitor progress, and help sustain continuous improvement;
should use multiple sources of information to evaluate effectiveness; and
should prepare educators to understand and teach all students. (NSDC Standards
for Staff Development, 2001)
NORTH CAROLINA PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
Based on research by the National Staff Development Council (NSDC), the North
Carolina Professional Development Standards provide the vision and framework for
making professional development more responsive to the learning needs of both
educators and students. The standards propose that professional development “should
contribute to measurable improvement in student achievement” and that higher student
achievement is the goal. “Professional development that does not produce changes
in practice, [the standards emphasize] does not support improved student performance;
[furthermore] professional development must be powerful enough to result in changes
in schools and practice that lead to higher student achievement and higher teacher
performance” (“Designing Powerful Professional Development,” 2005).
“No Child Left Behind (NCLB) solidifies the presence of high-stakes accountability
systems in our schools, and as we raise the expectations for students and teachers,
we must provide high quality professional development [as it is essential for excellence
in teaching and learning]” (Professional Development, 2005). The National Staff
Development Council (NSDC) believes that one of the primary purposes of professional
development is school improvement as measured by the success of every student.
Success is evident through overall high student achievement (NSDC Standards for
Staff Development, 2001).
The North Carolina Professional Development Standards recommend that professional
development efforts must closely align with school improvement plans and thrive within
existing school operations and structures. This systems-thinking approach to planning
can be guided by the following questions:
What are our goals for our students?
What must we (the adults) learn in order to help our students learn?
What is the best design for the adult learning?
What is in place in our school that we would need to change or strengthen
in order to meet our learning goals and our student goals?
How would we know if we were achieving our goals?
(“Designing Powerful Professional Development,” 2005)
TEACHING AND LEARNING 27
The North Carolina Professional Standards recommend that a well-designed professional
development program will include “a clear and specific presentation of the theory
supporting the new practices: modeling, demonstration, coaching, feedback, and
practice. Questions to guide evaluation of program quality include:
Is this model appropriate for the intended outcomes?
Does the program design include inquiry into how learning can be improved?
Which model of professional development was used to design this program?”
(“Designing Powerful Professional Development,” 2005)
The North Carolina Professional Development Standards are organized according
to the context/process/content schema:
CONTEXT STANDARDS: address the organization, system, and culture in which
the new learning will be implemented
PROCESS STANDARDS: refer to the “how” of professional development describing
the learning processes used in the acquisition of new
knowledge and skills and addressing the use of data,
evaluation and research.
CONTENT STANDARDS: refer to the “what” of professional development.
28 IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
NORTH CAROLINA PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
CONTEXT STANDARDS
LEARNING Professional development that improves the learning of all
students organizes adults into learning communities whose
goals are aligned with those of the school and district.
LEADERSHIP: Professional development that improves the learning of all
students requires skillful school and district leaders who guide
continuous instructional improvement.
RESOURCES: Professional development that improves the learning of all
students requires resources to support adult learning and
collaboration.
PROCESS STANDARDS
DATA-DRIVEN: Professional development that improves the learning of all
students uses disaggregated student data to determine adult
learning priorities, monitor progress, and help
sustain continuous improvement.
EVALUATION: Professional development that improves the learning of
all students uses multiple sources of information to guide
improvement and demonstrate its impact.
RESEARCH-BASED: Professional development that improves the learning of
all students prepares educators to apply research to
decision making.
DESIGN: Professional development that improves the learning of all
students uses learning strategies appropriate to the intended goal.
LEARNING: Professional development that improves the learning of all
students applies knowledge about human learning and change.
COLLABORATION: Professional development that improves the learning of all
students provides educators with the knowledge and skills
to collaborate.
CONTENT STANDARDS
EQUITY: Professional development that improves the learning of
all students prepares educators to understand and appreciate
all students, create safe, orderly and supportive learning
environments, and hold high expectations for their academic
achievement.
QUALITY TEACHING: Professional development that improves the learning of all
students deepens educators’ content knowledge, provides them
with research-based instructional strategies to assist students
in meeting rigorous academic standards, and prepares them
to use various types of classroom assessments appropriately.
FAMILY INVOLVEMENT: Professional development that improves the learning of all
students provides educators with knowledge and skills to
involve families and other stakeholders appropriately.
(“Designing Powerful Professional Development,” 2005)
TEACHING AND LEARNING 29
COMMUNITIES:
RESOURCES TO SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANNING
Data and Research
Designing Powerful Professional Development for Teachers, Administrators,
and School Leaders
How Teachers Learn Best
Is This School a Learning Organization – 10 Ways to Tell
Learning by the Numbers
Professional Development Articles
Professional Development IQ Test
The Toolbelt: A Collection of Data-Driven Decision-Making Tools for Educators
What Works in the Elementary School: Results-Based Staff Development
What Works in the Middle: Results-Based Staff Development
What Works in the High School: Results-Based Staff Development
30 IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
COLLABORATION THROUGH FLEXIBLE ACCESS
“WHAT SETS COLLABORATION APART . . . IS THAT THE OUTCOME IS GREATER THAN
THE SUM OF THE PARTS.”
(Bush, 2003)
DEFINITION OF TERMS
Flexible access enables students and teachers to use and circulate the resources of the
media center and computer lab throughout the day and to have the services of the school
library media coordinator and technology facilitator at point, time, and location of need.
Collaboration is a process facilitated by flexible access. Collaboration within the
IMPACT Model means that the school library media coordinator and technology facilitator
work closely with teachers to plan, implement, and evaluate classroom lessons, units,
and the overall instructional program.
Preparing students to succeed in the 21st century is an enormous challenge that
requires the combined efforts of all educators. Teachers need ongoing support for their
instructional programs to meet the challenges of addressing individual student needs
and learning styles. A key component of the research-based IMPACT Model is that the
media and technology program plays a vital role in today’s schools by providing flexible
access to relevant resources and flexible instruction based on collaborative planning.
Flexible access and collaboration impact student achievement by using student data
to design focused instructional strategies, allowing for differentiation of student
learning, addressing multiple learning styles, allowing for timely individual intervention,
and reducing class size.
No Child Left Behind emphasizes the importance of implementing educational programs
and practices proven effective in improving student learning and achievement through
rigorous scientific research. A substantive body of scientifically-based research has
documented the positive impact of flexible access and collaboration on student
achievement ().
“A SUBSTANTIAL BODY OF RESEARCH SINCE 1990 SHOWS A POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN SCHOOL LIBRARIES AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT. THE RESEARCH STUDIES SHOW
THAT SCHOOL LIBRARIES CAN HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT—
WHETHER SUCH ACHIEVEMENT IS MEASURED IN TERMS OF READING SCORES, LITERACY,
OR LEARNING MORE GENERALLY. A SCHOOL LIBRARY PROGRAM THAT IS ADEQUATELY
STAFFED, RESOURCED, AND FUNDED CAN LEAD TO HIGHER STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
REGARDLESS OF THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC OR EDUCATIONAL LEVELS OF THE COMMUNITY”
(School Libraries Work!, 2004).
Collaboration is sharing new ideas, strategies and resources to create dynamic and
well-planned lessons that foster active learning. The involvement of media and
technology professionals in all aspects of curriculum implementation is fundamental
to the collaborative process. This is facilitated by flexible access to both the media
center and the computer lab and to all their resources, as well as to the services
of these professionals during common planning periods.
TEACHING AND LEARNING 31
“HIGH-ACHIEVING SCHOOLS TEND TO HAVE MORE TECHNOLOGICAL RESOURCES. BAULE
(1997) FOUND THAT SCHOOLS WITH EXEMPLARY TECHNOLOGY WERE ALSO MORE LIKELY
TO HAVE HIGH-QUALITY SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA PROGRAMS. YETTER (1994) OBSERVED
THAT THE LIBRARY MEDIA CENTERS IN SUCCESSFUL RESOURCE-BASED LEARNING SCHOOLS
HAD MODERN, SPACIOUS FACILITIES DESIGNED FOR FLEXIBLE USE AND ACCESS TO
TECHNOLOGY. GEHLKEN (1994) NOTED THAT ALL THREE BLUE RIBBON SCHOOLS STUDIED
HAD LIBRARY MEDIA CENTERS WHICH WERE COMMITTED TO INCREASING STUDENT ACCESS
TO TECHNOLOGY, AND WHICH HAD THE FLEXIBILITY AND ELECTRONIC CAPABILITIES
TO ACCOMMODATE THE CHANGING NEEDS CREATED BY NEW TECHNOLOGIES”
(Michigan State Government, 2003).
The collaborative process begins with an integration phase, develops into cooperatively
planned activities, and culminates with full collaborative units.
Integration is the alignment of media and technology resources to support classroom
topics and the instructional needs of students.
Cooperative activities result when media and technology personnel design lessons
independently in support of classroom objectives and instruction.
Collaboration requires co-planning between teachers and media and technology
personnel to create cross-curricular lessons and units that are jointly delivered
and evaluated.
Initially, media and technology professionals meet occasionally with classroom teachers
to plan cooperatively. There may be a combination of fixed classes, as well as times
for open access. At the next stage, media and technology professionals meet with
teachers on a regular basis to plan learning experiences, and there are no fixed times for
instruction in the media center or computer lab. At the highest level of implementation,
formal units of instruction are collaboratively planned, implemented, and evaluated.
Teachers and media and technology professionals meet routinely to analyze and use
data and to determine instructional strategies and resources to improve teaching and
learning. At this stage, media and technology professionals may also co-teach with
classroom teachers.
Once a collaborative environment is established, the school library media coordinator
and technology facilitator will continue to work at the various levels to support classroom
instruction as needs arise. With in-depth collaborative planning, teachers and media
and technology professionals meet routinely to analyze and use data and to determine
instructional strategies and resources to improve teaching and learning.
“THE NATIONAL LIBRARY POWER PROJECT, INVOLVING 700 SCHOOLS IN 19 SCHOOL
DISTRICTS, REQUIRED IMPLEMENTATION OF COOPERATIVE PLANNING AND TEACHING
AND FLEXIBLE SCHEDULING OF THE LIBRARY. RESULTS OF THE STUDY INDICATED:
MORE COLLABORATIVE WORK ENVIRONMENTS AND INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS
FOCUSING ON INTERDISCIPLINARIY, INQUIRY- AND PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING;
MORE FREQUENT VISITS TO THE LIBRARY AS A RESULT OF IMPLEMENTATION OF
FLEXIBLE SCHEDULING;
MORE ENGAGING AND EDUCATIONALLY RICH LEARNING ACTIVITIES FOR STUDENTS”
(Research on Flexible Access to School Libraries, 2002).
32 IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
FLEXIBLE ACCESS LOOKS LIKE THIS:
Students and teachers move freely in and out of the school library media center
and the computer lab for activities such as researching print and electronic resources
for an assignment and creating a multimedia presentation.
Students come to the media center all day long to check out books and other
resources regardless of other activities taking place in the media center.
Students move in and out of the computer lab throughout the day to use
electronic resources.
One grade level group of teachers is planning with the school library media
coordinator and/or the technology facilitator for a new collaborative unit of instruction.
Meanwhile, children, under the supervision of media or technology assistants, come
from various classes to the media center to check out a book or read a magazine,
or to use resources in the computer lab.
Teachers check with the technology facilitator and school library media coordinator
for available blocks of time to bring in their classes to begin work on a collaborative
unit--or send a small group of students to work with the school library media
coordinator and/or the technology facilitator
A fourth grade class and their teacher enter the computer lab to work with the
technology facilitator on the development of their North Carolina portfolios.
Those same fourth graders may leave the computer lab periodically to find print
resources in the media center to aid in the development of their portfolio. All
students are working with the teacher, the school library media coordinator, and
the technology facilitator to find resources and learn skills that will help them finish
their assignment.
While a class may stay in the computer lab or media center only twenty minutes
during a curriculum-related activity, such as using a software application or
participating in story time, other students may be in the computer lab and/or the
media center for two or three hours, depending on the time allotted for an activity.
COLLABORATING TO ACHIEVE INSTRUCTIONAL GOALS
LOOKS LIKE THIS:
SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA COORDINATORS AND TECHNOLOGY FACILITATORS:
Develop strong instructional partnerships with classroom and special area teachers
by working together to plan and implement instruction and to evaluate instructional
outcomes;
Use the best available models of instruction, collaboration, and cooperative learning;
Ensure that instruction takes place in a student-centered, project-based environment;
Plan projects and activities with teachers that are relevant to real-life problems and
support the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills in students;
Create small group activities with heterogeneous groupings to accomplish curriculum
goals and objectives;
Help teachers to address different learning styles by using high-quality resources
in a variety of formats;
Involve students with setting goals for learning;
Work with teachers and students to create rubrics for project evaluation;
TEACHING AND LEARNING 33
Create and share a file or database within the school of collaboratively developed lesson
plans and related materials keyed to the North Carolina Standard Course of Study;
Search for lesson plans and successful teaching models in other schools, at conferences,
and in the professional literature;
Participate actively in the planning and evaluation of local, regional, and state activities
such as Battle of the Books, Multimedia Mania, technology fairs, Quiz Bowl, and the
North Carolina Children’s Book Award.
(See )
“COLLABORATION AFFORDS GENERAL EDUCATORS, SPECIAL EDUCATORS, AND SUPPORT
PERSONNEL OPPORTUNITY TO ESTABLISH REWARDING AND LONG LASTING SOCIAL AND
PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS. ACCORDINGLY, MORE SCHOOL PERSONNEL RECOGNIZE
THAT COLLABORATION FOSTERS A SENSE OF SHARED RESPONSIBILITY FOR EDUCATING
HETEROGENEOUS GROUPS OF STUDENTS (FRIEND & COOK, 2000). FINALLY, THE
GROWING EMPHASIS ON COLLABORATION STEMS FROM THE VERY NATURE OF SCHOOLS
THEMSELVES-SETTINGS IN WHICH A RANGE OF RESPONSIBILITIES AND DEMANDS CAN
BE ADDRESSED MORE APPROPRIATELY BY COLLABORATIVE OR TEAM APPROACHES THAN
BY INDIVIDUAL, ISOLATED EFFORTS”
(Gable, 2004).
LEADERSHIP AND THE CHANGE PROCESS
In order to implement flexible access and collaboration, school library media and
tech-nology professionals need to understand their leadership roles as change agents
and the change process, itself. Implementing flexible access and collaboration changes
school climate, so ultimately, media and technology professionals are catalysts for school
reform. When media and technology professionals assume leadership roles, they have
the opportunity to facilitate discussions about how flexible access and collaboration can
support teaching and learning and positively impact student achievement. At the same
time, they build the capacity to implement change. Together, they should co-chair the
Media and Technology Advisory Committee (MTAC) and should have a voice within the
School Leadership Team (SIT). Membership on the SIT can open the door for media
and technology professionals to be involved in the master scheduling of the school,
including decisions regarding planning time.
WHAT MAKES FLEXIBLE ACCESS AND COLLABORATION WORK?
Vision, informed leadership, flexible attitudes, and professional development, along with
staffing, budget, resources, and common planning time are the pre-existing conditions
essential to making flexible access and collaboration work in schools.
“FLEXIBLE ACCESS TO MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES AND PERSONNEL CAN MAKE
AN IMMEDIATE SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THE USE AND INTEGRATION OF MEDIA/TECHNOLOGY
RESOURCES WITH ADEQUATE STAFFING, RESOURCES, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND
ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT. THIS CHANGE CAN HAPPEN QUICKLY IF THESE CRITICAL
ELEMENTS ARE IN PLACE. THE SINGLE MOST CRITICAL FACTOR AFFECTING THE EASE OF
TRANSITION TO FLEXIBLE SCHEDULING APPEARS TO BE THE PREPARATION, EXPERIENCE
AND ATTITUDE OF THE MEDIA COORDINATOR AND TECHNOLOGY FACILITATOR”
(Stallings, 2005).
34 IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY STAFFING FOR FLEXIBLE ACCESS/COLLABORATION
POSITION CERTIFIED CLASSIFIED ROLE IN FLEXIBLE ACCESS
SCHOOL LIBRARY 076
MEDIA COORDINATOR
TECHNOLOGY 079 OR
FACILITATOR 077
FULL-TIME Yes
MEDIA ASSISTANT*
FULL-TIME Yes
TECHNOLOGY
ASSISTANT*
TECHNICIAN Yes
* Appropriate media and technology assistant staffing supports collaboration by maintaining access
to the media and technology resources and facilities while collaborative partners plan and conduct
instructional activities.
TEACHING AND LEARNING 35
Maximize access to all resources through effective
management
Provide resources to support the curriculum in a
timely manner
Provide instructional support at the point of need
(small or large group)
Co-Lead the Media and Technology Advisory
Committee (MTAC)
Participate in the School Improvement Team (SIT)
Maximize access to all technology resources
through effective management
Provide technology resources to support the
curriculum in a timely manner
Provide instructional technology support at the
point of need (small or large group)
Co-Lead the Media and Technology Advisory
Committee (MTAC)
Participate in the School Improvement Team (SIT)
Serve as liaison between the school and the
system-level technology director
Manage circulation of resources to provide access
throughout the day.
Provide clerical assistance for resources management
Provide support for reference and research activities
Manage technology resources to provide access
throughout the day
Troubleshoot minor technology problems to ensure
access to resources throughout the day
Maintain technology infrastructure, hardware,
software
Serve as liaison between the school and
system-level technical support staff
36 IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF COLLABORATIVE PARTNERS
The integration of school library media and technology programs with instruction is the
joint responsibility of teachers, administrators, and media and technology professionals
working together to accomplish objectives that support desired outcomes for students.
COLLABORATING PARTNER RESPONSIBILITY
CLASSROOM TEACHER Curriculum content
Learning Styles
Student interest
Initiate collaboration
Facilitate the learning process
Share student data (IEP, AIG, and Testing data)
Chair collaborative meetings
SCHOOL LIBRARY Integrate information skills into the core curriculum
MEDIA COORDINATOR Understand the total curriculum
Share resources in a variety of formats
Share instructional strategies
Support small group instruction
Support differentiated learning
Advocate for a collaborative environment
TECHNOLOGY Integrate technology skills into the core curriculum
FACILITATOR Understand the total curriculum
Share resources in a variety of formats
Share instructional strategies
Support small group instruction
Support differentiated learning
Advocate for a collaborative environment
RESOURCE TEACHERS Integrate skills from their area of specialization with core curriculum content
Support the necessary use of assistive technology resources
Share student assessment data (IEP, AIG)
ADMINISTRATORS Allocate time for the collaborative process to occur
Provide financial support for acquisition of information resources
Support flexible access of media and technology programs and resources
Establish expectations for a collaborative environment
Evaluate effectiveness of media and technology programs
Support the leadership role of the school library media coordinator and
the technology facilitator
MTAC Advocate for a collaborative environment
(Media and Technology Participate in the selection of resources
Advisory Committee) Prioritize budget needs
Facilitate long term plans for the media and technology programs
Evaluate effectiveness of media and technology programs
SIT Advocate for a collaborative environment
(School Improvement Team) Distribute media and technology resources appropriately
Facilitate long term plans for media and technology programs
Determine alignment of MTAC recommendations with the school
improvement plan
Successful implementation of flexible access and collaboration requires long-term
planning. Development of the IMPACT Model, including flexible access to media
and technology resources and instructional support, will take 3-5 years. It is
important that the MTAC and the SIT have a shared vision for the learning process
that incorporates the key components of the IMPACT Model:
Technology-rich teaching and learning environment through flexible access
Resource-rich teaching and learning environment through flexible access
Collaboration among teachers and media and technology personnel facilitated
through flexible access
Strong administrative leadership and support
Adequate budget
TEACHING AND LEARNING 37
IMPLEMENTING EFFECTIVE COLLABORATIVE PLANNING SESSIONS
Extended time is required for teachers to meet with the technology facilitator and school
library media coordinator to analyze student test data, identify instructional objectives
and appropriate strategies for individual needs, and determine outcomes and evaluation
methods. Each grade-level or department team should have a 2-3 hour planning block
every four to six weeks when all instructional partners can meet and plan together.
TWO IDEAS FOR PROVIDING EXTENDED PLANNING TIME:
Each team meets on a different morning or afternoon, and classes are covered
by assistants from other classes (lending/borrowing approach);
Several or all grade-level teams meet on the same day in rotation with classes
covered by a team of substitutes who move around the building as the teams
do their planning. Substitutes are paid from staff development funds.
HOW DO YOU IMPLEMENT EFFECTIVE COLLABORATIVE PLANNING SESSIONS?
AS YOU PLAN TOGETHER:
THE CONVERSATION
Discuss curriculum goals and objectives
Brainstorm possible activities and scientifically-based teaching strategies
based on the analysis of student test scores and the identification of individual
weaknesses and strengths
Assign responsibilities for instruction
Determine and review necessary resources
Determine outcomes and how to evaluate
Schedule time for instructional activities
RULES OF THE ROAD
Lead teacher or department head chairs the meeting
Teachers talk about curriculum goals and ideas for instructional activities
School library media coordinator and technology facilitator bring related
resources and activity ideas
TOOLS TO GUIDE THE PROCESS
Curriculum maps/pacing guides
IMPACT for Teachers Web site
School-wide research process (Big6, FLIP it!, I-Search, etc.)
Planning forms
Collaboration Toolkit (see Appendix)
38 IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
Strategies for long-term implementation of flexible access and collaboration
should include:
alignment of the goals of flexible access and collaboration with the school
improvement plan
facilitated collaborative planning sessions
appropriate professional development
prioritized budget needs
development of a communication plan for internal and external stakesholders
What interim strategies can be used in the first year of implementing flexible access?
Implement flexible access for instruction in stages by grade-level (over no more
than one year)
Fixed circulation for primary during 1st semester; transition to flexible circulation
2nd semester
Fixed instructional schedule for specified days/times; flexible access for other
days/times
Individual schools are encouraged to assess the needs of their students and staff and
examine their school culture to determine what is needed to promote the IMPACT Model
and flexible access such as:
Self-checkout/in
Access to the online catalog from any workstation
User login procedures
Process and procedures for communication
Record keeping for collaboration with each teacher or grade-level/department team
Space/workstation utilization for small group and individual use
TEACHING AND LEARNING 39
ADVOCACY: COMMUNICATING WHAT FLEXIBLE ACCESS
AND COLLABORATION MEAN
The benefits of flexible access and collaborative planning to support instruction must
be communicated to the education community. While many view flexible access as the
loss of planning time for teachers, the benefits of flexible access to resources and media
and technology personnel in schools far outweigh any perceived loss of planning time.
When addressing administrators, teachers, parents and other members of the learning
community, emphasize these benefits:
FLEXIBLE ACCESS ENABLES
access to media center and computer lab resources when they are needed to support,
supplement, and enhance teaching and learning, thus impacting student achievement;
the school library media coordinator and the technology facilitator to plan with for
instruction with teachers and staff;
students to conduct in-depth research for information and resources, thus fostering
independence and life-long learning;
differentiated instruction in support of the goals and objectives of No Child Left
Behind and the ABCs Plus of Public Education
development of collaborative units of study culminating in student projects that
require higher-order thinking skills based on real-world challenges;
implementation of The Balanced Curriculum as recommended by the Instructional
Services Division, NC DPI;
teachable moment and just-in-time access to information and resources for students;
integration of information and technology skills into all curriculum areas as defined
by the NC Standard Course of Study;
reduction of the student-teacher ratio;
instruction to be delivered one-on-one, in small groups, or in whole-class settings
in order to address a variety of learning styles.
When advocating for flexible access, help administrators and teachers understand the
high price of a fixed schedule both academically and financially. Base all arguments
on the research that supports appropriate use of the school library media center and
the computer lab to impact student achievement ().
Volunteer to help the principal brainstorm alternatives for coverage of teacher release
time so that the media center and computer lab are outside the planning block.
“IN A STUDENT-CENTERED LIBRARY MEDIA PROGRAM, LEARNING NEEDS TO TAKE
PRECEDENCE OVER CLASS SCHEDULES, SCHOOL HOURS, STUDENT CATEGORIZATIONS,
AND OTHER LOGISTICAL CONCERNS.”
(AASL and AECT, 1998).
40 IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
READING AND LITERACY
WHAT ARE WE REALLY ALL ABOUT?
Current emphases on student reading and writing, accompanied by testing mandates
and both state and national legislation, have certainly placed literacy achievement at
the forefront of what educators do. The vast array of definitions and terminology used
by education professionals today to define their missions or areas of expertise is giving
way to the recognition that all educators share both common ground and a common goal
for students: to ensure that all develop the skills necessary to be effective lifelong users
of ideas and information. Effective language and communication for the 21st century
involves all of the various “literacies” noted above, including enabling skills such as
reading, writing, and computing, as well as creative thinking and problem solving,
interpersonal skills, negotiation, and teamwork. Literacy is literacy is literacy.
Literacy is the business of the entire school and requires significant collaboration in
order to create a climate and culture that clearly values literacy skills and stresses their
importance. Schools must recognize that comprehension skills are not just the business
of the reading teacher, that reading promotion is not just the job of the school library
media program, and that Internet research strategies are not just the domain of the
instructional technology facilitator.
School library media coordinators and technology facilitators can provide leadership
in reinforcing the “big picture” focus, simultaneously demonstrating how the various
parts (such as independent reading, project-based authentic research, online strategies,
reading motivation, etc.) fit together with classroom instruction into a greater whole
through successful collaboration. Effective collaboration, however, requires effective
communication, and too often, semantics interferes in our efforts to work together.
“OUR CONCEPT OF LITERACY HAS BEEN BASED ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT PRINT IS THE PRIMARY
CARRIER OF INFORMATION IN OUR CULTURE AND THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT SKILLS ARE THOSE
THAT ENABLE STUDENTS TO UNDERSTAND AND EXPRESS THEMSELVES IN TEXT. THE NEW DEFINITION
OF LITERACY IS BASED ON A DIFFERENT ASSUMPTION: THAT DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY IS RAPIDLY
BECOMING A PRIMARY CARRIER OF INFORMATION AND THAT THE BROADER MEANS OF EXPRESSION
THAT THIS TECHNOLOGY MAKES POSSIBLE ARE NOW CRITICAL FOR EDUCATION. TEXT LITERACY
IS NECESSARY AND VALUABLE, BUT NO LONGER SUFFICIENT”
(Meyer and Rose, 2000).
Effective instructional technology and school library media programs recognize that
“digital-age literacy” involves much more than basic skills in reading and writing.
Both the school library media and instructional technology communities frequently
express frustration that “their message” is not getting across with classroom teachers,
administrators, or policy makers at the school board, state or federal levels. The news
media fails to pay adequate attention to school libraries or instructional technology
programs by focusing instead upon test scores and “why Johnny can’t read.” Media
and technology professionals must recognize that public attention, and that of classroom
teachers, administrators, and policy makers at the local, state, and national levels,
is focused more upon such traditional concepts of reading and writing than upon
“information literacy” or “instructional technology skills.” Likewise, others seem to
ignore or focus less on research about the impact and effectiveness of strong instructional
technology and school library media programs. School library media coordinators and
technology facilitators must effectively learn the terminology, best practices, and research
of the reading and literacy community, and then translate media and technology
terminology, best practices, and research into “their” language and experience.
TEACHING AND LEARNING 41
”
““READING” -
“LITERACY” -
“INFORMATION
LITERACY” -
“INSTRUCTIONAL
TECHNOLOGY SKILLS” -
“MEDIA LITERACY” -
“VISUAL LITERACY” -
“CONTEMPORARY
LITERACY” -
“NEW LITERACIES” -
“THINKING SKILLS” -
“21ST CENTURY
SKILLS”
The following examples highlight this “translated” collaboration, in which school library
media coordinators and/or technology facilitators use current research, models, and best
practices in literacy instruction to develop strong media and technology programs.
COLLABORATION: MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY, READING,
AND LITERACY
MODELED READING AND SHARED READING (as described in models for balanced
literacy instruction – Routman, 1991; Fountas and Pinnell, 1996; Cooper, 2003)
Reading aloud to students has long been a staple of school library media programs.
Occasionally utilizing specific strategies and questioning techniques as a part of school
library media read-aloud sessions reinforces the same kinds of explicit instruction that
are used in scaffolded classroom instruction. Such strategies are thoroughly discussed
in Read It Again!: Revisiting Shared Reading by Brenda Parkes (Stenhouse, 2000);
Creating buddy or partner reading programs that regularly pair readers to read aloud
to each other alternately;
Developing collections of books on tape to help develop fluency in independent
reading (Allen, 2000);
Readers’ theater strategies, including adapting picture books with large amounts of
dialogue into scripts or using web-based resources such as Aaron Shepard’s RT Page.
READING-WRITING WORKSHOP MODEL
“Internet Workshop: Making Time for Literacy” (Leu, 2000) provides a parallel
management structure to be utilized in flexibly accessed technology/computer labs
and/or school library media centers, and which could serve as a model for classroom
teachers seeking to integrate technology seamlessly into their daily literacy activities.
PRINT-RICH INSTRUCTIONAL ENVIRONMENTS AND BROAD CLASSROOM
LIBRARY COLLECTIONS
Existing classroom library collections can be broadened significantly by the addition
of monthly-rotating “classroom collections” drawn from the school library media
collection (Routman, 1991).
Although school library media collections are organized by Dewey numbers, classroom
libraries are frequently structured to be “browser-friendly” by organizing materials in
a way that makes immediate sense to the student. Browsing bins or tubs of high-interest
materials organized by genre or topic, author, etc. (such groupings need not
be permanent) could rotate out as student interests change (Fountas & Pinnell, 1996).
RENEWED EMPHASIS ON COMPREHENSION OF NONFICTION AND EXPOSITORY TEXT
In Strategies That Work: Teaching Comprehension to Enhance Understanding
(Stenhouse, 2000) and Nonfiction Matters: Reading, Writing, and Research in
Grades 3-8 (Stenhouse, 1998), Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis provide
multiple strategies that parallel those modeled and taught by school library media
coordinators and technology facilitators when helping students with research projects.
Literacy strategies common to classroom instruction such as KWL or other kinds
of graphic organizers are useful for a variety of research activities.
Reading strategies for traditional print and linear text and those used for hypertext
on Web pages and Internet resources are remarkably similar, though some (e.g.,
skimming or scanning, using guided questions, text features, etc.) may deserve
greater emphasis when reading text online (Schmar-Dobler, 2003).
42 IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs
Literature-based instruction and literature studies, which have traditionally focused
on novels and fiction, must include multiple forms of literacy. School library media
coordinators should be booktalking, creating recommended booklists, and providing
reading guidance for nonfiction. Scho